Every country flies a flag. There is much to be learned about global cultures by examining how they wish to be seen and judged by others. As in so many other competitive spheres, there is a hierarchy of submitters. At the top are countries who choose a film that has a strong chance of making its way through the Hollywood system to prove that they are “insiders”, whereas others, without connections, hope to be finally heard on the world stage: Tembele (Ghana) and Mediterranean Fever (Palestine) are two such examples. And then there is a third category: countries who wish to show their liberal credentials by selecting films about human rights issues in other countries, often made by exiled directors. For the latter, one needs look no further than Denmark who for two years running has submitted films about human rights issues in other countries (Flee – Afghanistan) and this year Holy Spider (Iran), or Canada with Eternal Spring (China).