Thailand Picks 'Uncle Boonme' For Oscar, Philippines Goes With 'Noy'

After walking away from Cannes with the Palme d'Or it was pretty much a no-brainer that Thailand would select Apichatpong Weerasethakul's enigmatic "Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives" to be their Oscar contender. But whether or not the cerebral film will resonate with stuffy Academy members remains to be seen. We saw the film on the Croisette earlier this year, and while it was one we admired and found the experience of watching it to be deeply rewarding, it's not a film we're necessarily in a rush to watch again.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has put their hopes on the docu-drama "Noy" directed by Dondon Santos. The film "tracks a young man from the slums who poses as a journo to document the ascent of his namesake Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III who goes on to become President-elect of the Philippines."

Deadline for foreign Oscar submissions are this Friday, October 1st at 5 PM. The Academy will wade through the submissions, vote and announce the final nominees on January 25th. The Oscar ceremony takes place a month later on February 27th.