Titane, Cannes Palme d’Or winner, selected as France's official entry to Oscars Best International Feature category

Titane, written and directed by Julia Ducournau, has been selected as France's official entry for the Best International Feature Oscar. The film was this year's winner of Cannes' Palme d’Or prize, and the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Midnight Madness winner.

According to Indiewire, Titane beat Happening (Audrey Diwan’s Venice Golden Lion winner), and the French box office hit Bac Nord (directed by Cédric Jimene). 

The selection comittee included Florian Zeller and Julie Delpy, former WarnerMedia executive Iris Knobloch, producer Alain Goldman, and sales agents Emilie Georges and Grégory Chambet, Unifrance president Serge Toubiana, along with the César Academy’s Elisabeth Tanner, and Cannes director Thierry Frémaux. 

The body horror film, which follows the bizarre journey of a woman with a metal plate inside her head, has only received rave reviews at its festival run. The Hollywood Reporter mentions that Titane has sold over 300,000 tickets in France since its release.

In the US, Titane witnessed the biggest opening for any Palme d'Or winner in 17 years, and had the largest opening weekend collection for a French film at the North American box office. 

The Academy Awards will reveal the International Feature shortlist December 21. The final five nominees will be declared on February 8 next year.