The Unlikely Breakthrough That Paved the Way for Global Cinema In 1937, Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion made history by becoming one of the first foreign films to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
This landmark moment marked a turning point in the relationship between Hollywood and international cinema.
Renoir, a relatively unknown director at the time, had struggled to get his early works released in the US, with many critics focusing on his lineage as the son of Auguste Renoir rather than recognizing him as an artist in his own right.