94th Academy Awards International Feature Film Submissions

Update #1: Finally yesterday AMPAS released the list of films eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category and there are ninety-three countries that have submitted films.

The Academy mentions there are some films which have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfill that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process; so, there could be films that will not be considered for the shortlist of 15 that will be announced on December 21, 2021.

Also according to The Academy rules "An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track". They also highlight the fact that Somalia is a first-time entrant.

Nevertheless, main reason why I do this post is to have in one place mostly great movies from all over the world. Some I have seen already while others I'm certainly looking forward to be able to watch eventually.

To check the announcement at the official site go here (where there are also links to check 138  documentaries and 26 animated films submitted for consideration) and to read the official list with 93 films and their English names go here.

---End of Update #1---

Another unusual year with so many things happening at once and even do there is no country with submission yet, news with submission deadline start to appear in countries' official sites; so, let's start the one post I really enjoy doing as becomes a list of the best cinema from the world with many must be seen movies.

First a rapid review of category rules, regulations and general info.

As previously announced, the eligibility period for Academy Awards consideration will return to the standard December 31 deadline: a feature film must have a qualifying release date between March 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. With theatrical exhibition still impacted by the pandemic this year, eligibility requirements for the 94th Academy Awards will be consistent with the addendums made for the 93rd Awards season and can be found at official site.

For films that open in theaters, the six qualifying U.S. metropolitan areas are Los Angeles County; the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, and apply to General Entry categories as well as the Documentary and Short Film categories. Following this year, the Academy intends to expand the qualifying requirements for the 95th Awards.

In the International Feature Film category, key rule amendments made in the preliminary round of voting for the 93rd Awards and approved in January 2021 remain unchanged. This includes an expanded shortlist of 15 films and members from all Academy branches being invited to opt in and participate in the preliminary and nominations rounds of voting. Members must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category. If you wish to read the complete Rule Thirteen - Special Rules for the International Feature Film Award go here.

International Feature Film category submission deadline is Monday, November 1, 2021 which is exactly one month more from what it was standard pre-Covid. Other important dates are Oscars Shortlists Announcement on Tuesday, December 21st, 2021, Oscars Nominations Announcement on Tuedays, February 8th, 2022, and Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

The List

Albania: Dy Luanë drejt Venecias (Two Lions to Venice), Jonid Jorgji
Algeria: هيليوبوليس Haliyūbūlīs (Héliopolis), Djaafar Gacem
Argentina: El Prófugo (The Intruder), Natalia Meta #Berlinale2020 Competition
Armenia: Երբ որ քամին հանդարտվի Si le vent tombe (Should the Wind Drop), Nora Martirosyan #Cannes2020 #lAcid
Australia: When Pomegranates Howl, Granaz Moussavi
Austria: Große Freiheit (Great Freedom), Sebastian Meise #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard Jury Prize Award winner
Azerbaijan: Daxildəki Ada (The Island Within), Ru Hasanov Sarajevo Film Festival 2020 Heart of Sarajevo Best Director winner

Bangladesh: রেহানা মরিয়ম নূর Rehana Maryam Noor (Rehana), Abdullah Mohammad Saad #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard
Belgium: Un monde (Playground), Laura Wandel #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard FIPRESCI Award winner
Bhutan: লুনানা Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Pawo Choyning Dorji
Bolivia: El Gran Movimiento (The Great Movement), Kiro Russo #BiennaleCinema2021 Orizzonti Special Jury Prize and Fondazione Fai Persona Lavoro Ambiente Award winner
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Tabija (The White Forest), Igor Drljača #Berlinale2021 Generation 14plus
Brazil: Deserto Particular (Private Dessert), Aly Muritiba #BiennaleCinema2021 Giornate degli Autori People's Choice Award winner
Bulgaria: Ctpax Strah (Fear), Ivaylo Hristov

Cambodia: ប៊ូឌីញ ស Bodeng Sar (White Building), Kavich Neang #BiennaleCinema2021 Orizzonti competition
Cameroon: Rêves cachés (Hidden Dreams), Ngang Romanus
Canada: Les oiseaux ivres (Drunken Birds), Ivan Grbovic
Chad: Lingui, les liens sacrés (Lingui, The Sacred Bonds), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun #Cannes2021 Competition
Chile: Blanco en Blanco (White on White), ThéoCourt #BiennaleCinema2019 Orizzonti Best Director and FIPRESCI Prize winner plus Human Rights Award Special Mention
China: 悬崖之上 Xuan ya zhi shang (Cliff Walkers), Zhang Yimou
Colombia: Memoria, Apichatpong Weerasethakul #Cannes2021 Jury Award winner
Costa Rica: Clara Sola, Nathalie Alvarez Mesén #Cannes2021 Quinzaine
Croatia: Tereza37, Danilo Šerbedžija
Czech Republic: Zátopek, David Ondříček

Denmark: Flugt (Flee), Jonas Poher Rasmussen (animated documentary)  #Sundance2021 World Cinema - Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner
Domican Republic: La Fiera y la Fiesta (Holy Beasts), Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas #Berlinale2019 Panorama

Ecuador: Sumergible (Submersible), Alfredo León León
Egypt: سعاد Souad, Ayten Amin #Berlinale2021 Panorama
Estonia: Vee peal (On The Water), Peeter Simm

Findland: Hytti Nro 6 (Compartment Number 6), Juho Kuosmanen #Cannes2021 Grand Prix winner
France: Titane, Julia Ducournau #Cannes2021 Palme d'Or winner

Georgia: მეოთხე ბრაიტონი Brighton 4th, Levan Koguashvili
Germany: Ich bin dein mensch (I'm Your Man), Maria Schrader #Berlinale2021 Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance
Greece: Digger, Georgis Grigorakis #Berlinale2020 Panorama CICAE award winner

Haiti: Freda, Gessica Généus #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard Prix François Chalais Special Mention
Hong Kong: 媽媽的神奇小子 Ma Ma Dik San Kei Siu Ji (Zero to Hero), Jimmy Wan Chi-Man
Hungary: Post Mortem, Péter Bergendy

Iceland: Dýrið (Lamb), Valdimar Jóhannsson #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard Prize of Originality winner and Palm Dog Award winner
India: கூழாங்கல் Koozhangal (Pebbles), P.S. Vinothraj #IFFR2021 Tiger Award winner
Indonesia: Yuni, Kamila Andini #TIFF2021 Platform Prize winner
Iran: هرمان, Ghahreman (A Hero), Asghar Farhadi #Cannes2021 Grand Prix, Prix François Chalais and Prix de la Citoyenneté winner
Iraq: أوروب Europa, Haider Rashid #Cannes2021 #Quinzaine
Ireland: Foscadh (Shelter), Seán Breathnach
Israel: יהי בוקר Let It Be Morning, Eran Kolirin #Cannes2021 Un Certain Regard
Italy: È stata la mano di Dio (The Hand of God), Paolo Sorrentino #BiennaleCinema2021 #Venezia78 Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize winner plus Best New Young Actor award, SIGNIS Special Mention, ArcaCinema Gionvani Award Best Italian Film, Francesco Pasinetti Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Film, Nuovo Imaie Talent Award Best Newcomer, and UNIMED Award

Japan: ドライブ・マイ・カー Doraibu mai kâ (Drive My Car), Ryûsuke Hamaguchi #Cannes2021 Best Screenplay, FIPRESCI, Ecumenical, and AFCAE Art House Cinema awards winner
Jordan: أميرة Amira, Mohamed Diab #BiennaleCinema2021 Orizzonti

Kazakhstan: Желтая кошка Zheltaya koshka (Yellow Cat), Adilkhan Yerzhanov #BiennaleCinema2020 #Orizzonti
Kenya: Mission To Rescue, Gilbert Lukalia
Kosovo: Zgjoi (Hive), Blerta Basholli #Sundance2021 World Cinema: Audience Award, Director Award and Grand Jury Prize winner
Kyrgyzstan: Шамбала Shambala, Artykpai Suyundukov

Latvia: Bedre (The Pit), Dace Pūce
Lebanon: كوستابرافا Costa Brava, Lebanon, Mounia Akl #BiennaleCinema2021 Orizzonti Extra
Lithuania: Izaokas (Isaac), Jurgis Matulevicius
Luxembourg: Io Sto Bene, Donato Rotunno

Malawi: Fatsani (Fatsani: A Tale of Survival), Gift Sukez Sukail
Malaysia: Prebet Sapu (Hail, Driver!), Muzzamer Rahman
Malta: Luzzu, Alex Camilleri #Sundance2021 World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award winner
Mexico: Noche de Fuego (Prayers for the Stolen), Tatiana Huezo #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard Special Mention
Montenegro: Poslije zime (After the Winter), Ivan Bakrač
Morocco: علّي صوتك Haut et Fort (Casablanca Beats), Nabil Ayouch #Cannes2021 Competition Prix du Cinéma Positif winner

Netherlands: Do Not Hesitate, Shariff Korver
North Macedonia: Сестри Sestri (Sisterhood), Dina Duma #KarlovyVary2021 East of the West Special Jury Prize winner
Norway: Verdens verste menneske (The Worst Person in the World), Joachim Trier #Cannes2021 Best Actress winner

Palestine: الغريب Al Garib (The Stranger), Ameer Fakher Eldin #BiennaleCinema2021 Giornate degli Autori Edipo Re Award winner
Panama: Plaza Cathedral, Abner Benaim
Paraguay: Apenas el Sol (Nothing But the Sun), Arami Ullón (documentary)
Peru: Manco Cápac (Poweful Chief), Henry Vallejo
Poland: Żeby nie było śladów (Leave No Traces), Jan P. Matuszyński #Venezia78 Competition
Portugal: A Metamorfose dos Pássaros (The Metamorphosis of Birds), Catarina Vasconcelos (documentary) #Berlinale2020 Encounters FIPRESCI award winner

Romania: Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc (Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn), Radu Jude #Berlinale2021 Golden Bear for Best Film winner
Russia: Разжимая кулаки Razzhimaya kulaki (Unclenching the Fists), Kira Kovalenko #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard Award winner

Saudi Arabia: حد الطار Had Al Tar (The Tambour of Retribution), Abdulaziz Alshlahei
Serbia: Oaza (Oasis), Ivan Ikić #BiennaleCinema2020 Giornate degli Autori Label Europa Cinemas award winner
Singapore: 今宵多珍重 Precious is The Night, Wayne Peng
Slovakia: Cenzorka (107 Mothers), Peter Kerekes (documentary-fiction hybrid) #BienaleCinema2021 Orizzonti Best Screenplayer Award winner
Slovenia: Sanremo, Miroslav Mandić
Somalia: زوجة حفار القبور The Gravedigger's Wife, Khadar Ayderus Ahmed #Cannes2021 Semaine de la Critique competition
South Africa: Barakat, Amy Jephta
South Korea: 모가디슈 Mogadishu (Escape from Mogadishu), Ryoo Seung-Wan
Spain: El Buen Patrón (The Good Boss), Fernando León de Aranoa #SSIFF2021 Competition
Sweden: Tigrar (Tigers), Ronnie Sandahl
Switzerland: Olga, Elie Grappe #Cannes2021 Semaine de la Critique Competition SACD Award winner

Taiwan: 瀑布 Pu Bu (The Falls), Chung Mong-Hong #BiennaleCinema2021 Orizzonti Competition
Thailand: ร่างทรง Rang Song (The Medium), Banjong Pisanthanakun
Tunisia: فرططو الذهب Papillon d'Or (Golden Butterfly), Abdelhamid Bouchnak
Turkey: Bağlılık Hasan (Commitment Hasan), Semih Kaplanoğlu #Cannes2021 #UnCertainRegard

UK: Dying to Divorce, Chloe Fairweather (documentary)
Ukraine: Погані дороги Plokhiye dorogi (Bad Roads), Natalya Vorozhbit #BiennaleCinema2020 #SIdC Verona Film Club Award winner
Uruguay: La teoría de los vidrios rotos (The Broken Glass Theory), Diego Fernández
Uzbekistan: Faridaning Ikki Ming qo'shig'i (2000 Songs of Farida), Yalkin Tuychiev

Venezuela: Un Destello Interior (The Inner Glow), Andrés Eduardo Rodríguez, Luis Alejandro Rodríguez
Vietnam: Bố già (Dad, I'm Sorry), Trấn Thành

Check available info and trailer @MOC
Check available posters at pinterest