French flavor for Golden Globes

France claims 14 of 53 foreign-language entries

By JUSTIN CHANG

'The Class' has qualified for a foreign-language Golden Globe.

France dominates the field of Golden Globe contenders for foreign-language film, claiming 14 of the 53 slots qualified by the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. Number is down from last year's initial pack of 61.

Gallic entrants include Palme d'Or winner "The Class" (which will rep France in the Oscar race), "I've Loved You So Long," "Female Agents," "The Secret of the Grain" and local smash "Welcome to the Sticks."

Italy is also well represented with four pics: Cannes prize winners "Gomorrah" (the country's Oscar submission) and "Il Divo," as well as "A Perfect Day" and "Quiet Chaos."

Globe selections that were also submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences include "Waltz With Bashir" (Israel), "Captain Abu Raed" (Jordan), "O'Horten" (Norway), "The Rest Is Silence" (Romania), "Cape No. 7" (Taiwan), "Three Monkeys" (Turkey), "Mermaid" (Russia), "The Tour" (Serbia), "The Baader Meinhof Complex" (Germany), "Lion's Den" (Argentina), "Last Stop 174" (Brazil), "The Karamazovs" (Czech Republic), "The Song of Sparrows" (Iran), "Tear This Heart Out" (Mexico), "Loss" (Lithuania), "Departures" (Japan), "Jerusalema" (South Africa), "The Color of Fame" (Venezuela) and "Everlasting Moments" (repping Sweden, per the Academy, but designated a Swedish-Danish co-production by the HFPA).

Golden Globe nominees will be announced on Dec. 11. Awards will be handed out Jan. 11 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.