Every awards season brings national submission debates, but this year, France’s decision for its official entry in the international feature Oscar category has turned into a geopolitical and cinematic dilemma.

On one side is Richard Linklater’s “ Nouvelle Vague ,” a French-language homage to the cinematic movement that redefined global filmmaking, starring breakout Guillaume Marbeck and Zoey Deutch. On the other is “ It Was Just an Accident ,” Jafar Panahi’s quietly explosive French co-production — a film shot in exile and widely regarded as one of his boldest works yet.

France, which typically selects auteur-driven, culturally emblematic films, finds itself choosing between two unprecedented options: one from an American director (Linklater), the other from a revered Iranian filmmak

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