Golden Globes 2023: RRR loses best motion picture non-English award to Argentina, 1985

The 80th edition of the Golden Globe Awards was held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Wednesday. The glitzy ceremony was organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and marked the return of the Globes on TV. The 79th Golden Globes was not broadcast due to allegations of lack of diversity among nominees picked by the HFPA.

This year, the Golden Globes was special for India since SS Rajamouli’s RRR was in contention to bag the coveted Golden Globe in two categories. The magnum opus competed in the Best Picture (non-English language) category with the German anti-war drama All Quiet on the Western Front, the Korean romantic mystery film Decision To Leave, the Argentine historical drama 'Argentina, 1985', and French-Dutch coming-of-age drama 'Close'.

These were the other nominees in the Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language category.

RRR’s international recognition and popularity expanded the boundaries of Indian cinema further. SS Rajamouli’s film scripted history when it was nominated at the Globes in two categories - Best non-English language film and Best Original song. In RRR, Rajamouli delivered a grand visual spectacle and displayed an exceptional level of technical competence. RRR was set in the backdrop of 1920s British and revolved around the fictionalised story of Alluri Sitarama Raju (played by Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (played by Jr NTR).

Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave was also nominated for Best Picture (Non-English Language). This noirish romance stars Park Hae-il, Tang Wei and Lee Jung-hyun. Parasite was the first Korean film to ever win a Golden Globe.

This German film is based on Erich Maria Remarque’s novel of the same name and stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch and Aaron Hilmer. All Quiet on the Western Front is an anti-war drama that follows the story of a young German soldier Paul Bäumer and his terrifying experience on the western front in World War I.

This terrific film by Santiago Mitre is based on real-life events of the 1985 judicial proceedings of the Trial of the Juntas. This was a judicial trial against the leaders who ruled the country during the bloodiest dictatorship period in the history of Argentina.

Directed by Lukas Dhont, Close presents a profoundly felt portrait of two inseparable friends, until a manipulative midway twist sours their relationship. Close is a deeply evocative film and shows us a portrait of innocent and innocuous same-sex affection.