Oscars 2016: 8 Awards Contenders To Look Out For At The London Film Festival

5. The Assassin

What Could It Win? Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography Biggest Hope: Best Foreign Language Film The Foreign Language Film category is essentially a consolation prize; a way to acknowledge the incredible output of World Cinema without letting it get in the way of the Hollywood glitz that dominates the main awards (unless it's a silent film about America - that's fine apparently). So when Ida broke out of that ghetto last year to get nominated for Best Cinematography (it lost to Birdman, obviously) it was a cause for celebration. The Assassin is a fair bet to replicate that trick this year - a nom for Photography and a win for Foreign Language. Hou Hsiao-Hsien won the Best Director award at Cannes for the film, a pretty glowing endorsement of the film's technical achievements; its painting-like vistas are astounding. I mean, it's a painfully boring film, lacking anything close to a coherent story, but in terms of filmmaking prowess it's solid. And while there's plenty of other foreign language films released this year that would be more deserving (I'd plump for Son Of Saul or Our Little Sister), given how strong the film is with some critics (and that it's a Gala screening at the LFF), this is the one to put your money on.