A New York-area critic feels that IFC Releasing is missing out on “at least a shot” at 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days winning a Best Foreign Film trophy from the New York Film Critics Circle in December. Only films with an ’07 theatrical release in NYC (or the NYC area) are eligible for NYFCC consideration, but it’s expensive as hell to open a little foreign movie in Manhattan in December. (IFC intends to open it nationwide in mid January after the Oscar nominations are out.)

The Romanian entry has a chance to win, however, with the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Society of Film Critics as long as IFC opens it somewhere domestic before 12.31.07. I was told today these two groups (accordingt to their rulebooks) will consider it for their Best Foreign Flick prize even if it plays at some 85-seat theatre in Bumblefuck, Idaho, with fold-up chairs.