France has unveiled a shortlist of five films for its submission to the international feature race: Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” a love letter to the French cinematic movement known as the New Wave acquired by Netflix; Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning “It Was Just an Accident, ” which he shot in exile aided by French producers and was picked up by Neon; Rebecca Zlotowski’s Sony Pictures Classics film “A Private Life,” which played at Cannes and stars Jodie Foster; “Arco,” an animated feature voiced and produced by Natalie Portman (also bought by Neon); and Hafsia Herzi’s queer coming-of-age drama “The Little Sister” which won Cannes’ best actress for Nadia Melliti.

Year after year, France’s official entry in the international feature Oscar race proves divisive and this

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