When France chose Saint Omer as its entry for the Oscars’ Best International Film category, journalists were quick to point out that director Alice Diop was the first ever black woman to represent the country. Yet in a week when the #oscarssowhite hashtag has resurfaced due to the omission of both The Woman King and Till from the nominations, it’s depressing to note that the fantastically visceral Saint Omer didn’t make it either.
Diop should not have been sidelined, but whether she cares is another matter. Because the 44-year-old’s first fictional feature suggests she’s less interested in being a winner than in dissecting the rules of a game that’s always been rigged.
