All Quiet on the Western Front has won the Oscar for best international feature film at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
The German-language first world war film is an adaptation of Erich Remarque’s landmark 1928 novel; an earlier Hollywood adaptation, directed by Lewis Milestone, won the best picture Oscar in 1930. This version, directed by Edward Berger, stars Felix Kammerer as initially eager soldier Paul Bäumer who is traumatised by life in the trenches.
Having premiered at the Venice film festival, All Quiet on the Western Front has made a strong impression at previous awards ceremonies, including a spectacular performance at the Baftas where it won seven prizes including best film. At the Oscars it had to defeat a strong field in the international film category, including Jerzy Skolimowski’s donkey fable EO and Irish-language drama The Quiet Girl, directed by Colm Bairéad.
