We had one films release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

The Grandmaster

While the film is about the real life mentor of some of the most prominent Japanese martial arts stars ever appearing on the big screen, the film could also be seen as a statement on the legacy of its director, Wong Kar Wai. For more than two decades, the famed Chinese filmmaker has earned a great deal of respect for his pictures and like some of the most prominent artists in American cinema, his output has been minimal, making the appreciation of his artwork even more pronounced.

Films like Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love are among the most cherished films ever made, which gives Wong a leg-up in the competition for Best Foreign Language Film. The Academy has a rare opportunity to recognize the filmmaker for the first time and in the hands of producer Harvey Weinstein, that chance may be even more significant.

Weinstein has been getting some flack lately though about his desire to edit nearly every foreign import he can get his hands on. Recently, the English-language debut of South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho had received amazing notices from critics who saw the film at various festivals. After Weinstein got his hands on it, significant editing was done and many are concerned that his tinkering will blunt the impact of the film. His desire to “play to the cheap seats” often means dumbing down brilliant works of art in order to make some cash that isn’t even likely to flow for a film like Snowpiercer. Chatter is that he’s doing the same thing to The Grandmaster.

Could that hinder the film’s chances with the Academy? I doubt it. He knows how to manipulate them better than any organization that exists. This year, though, a number of major films from around the world are going to be competing for Best Foreign Language film, among them likely The Past from Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi, which has Sony Pictures Classics, a more hands-off studio, behind it. There are others that will start emerging in the next few weeks and we’ll see who Weinstein has for his competition. Only then will we know for sure whether tinkering will be a benefit or a major flaw.