96th Academy Awards International Feature Film Submissions

Friday, December 8th, 2023
This is the last update as the Academy released the list of eligible films in the International Feature Film category and there are 88 films to be considered for the shortlist of 15 that will be released on December 21st.

From last update Cuba is not included in final list as well as those countries mentioned in previous lists. According to all announcements of films to be considered by the Academy for the International Feature Film category done by different sources since August 2023, there are four (4) films that did not make the final official list and they are from these countries/territories: Cuba, Hong Kong. Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.



Finally today, December 3rd, had time to update this list and gee, there are few changes like Cameroon, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia joining the list and Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstab abd Tajikistan leaving the list. List has 89 films which is four short of the record of 93 qualifying films in the category and still is possible that films fail to qualify before the shortlist of 15 is announced on December 21st. According to market sources the official and final list of qualified films is expected to be released in early December, which suggests that hopefully the list will be available by next week.

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Today, June 19 is a good day to start the yearly post with usually the best cinema from each country in the world and if not at least is the list of films that absolutely would like to watch as soon as possible.

To read Rule Fifteen - Special Rules for the International Feature Film Award go Academy official site here. Particularly a remarkable change for 2024 edition is the following:  in the Best International Feature Film category, the selection committee from each country that chooses that country’s Oscar submission must now be made up of at least 50% filmmakers.

Monday, October 2, 2023 is the final submission deadline for International Feature Film category.

Update: Today, August 4, 2023 Switzerland announced their selection and becomes the first country to announce their entry to #Oscars2024 International Feature Film category.

The List

Albania: Alexander, Ardit Sadiku (documentary)
Argentina: Los Delincuentes (The Delinquents), Rodrigo Moreno #Cannes2023 #UnCertainRegard
Armenia: Ամերիկացի Amerikatsi, Michael A. Goorjian
Australia: Shayda, Noora Niasari #Sundance2023 World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize winner
Austria: Vera, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel #BiennaleCinema2022 #Orizzonti Best Director and Best Actress awards winner

Bangladesh: পায়ের তলায় মাটি নাই Payer Tolay Mati Nai (No Ground Beneath the Feet), Mohammad Rabby Mridha
Belgium: Augure (Omen), Baloji #Cannes2023 #UnCertainRegard New Voice Prizer winner
Bhutan: The Monk and the Gun, Pawo Choyning Dorji
Bolivia: El Visitante (The Visitor), Martín Boulocq #Tribeca2022 International Narrative Competition winner
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ekskurzija (Excursion), Una Gunjak #Locarno2023 Cineasti del Presente Special Mention Best Screenplay award winner
Brazil: Retratos Fantasmas (Pictures of Ghosts), Kleber Mendonça Filho #Cannes2023 Special Screenings (documentary)
Bulgaria: Уроците на Блага Urocite na Blaga (Blaga's Lessons), Stephan Komandarev #KVIFF57 Crystal Globe winner, Best Actress and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury awards winner
Burkina Faso: Sira, Apolline Traoré #Berlinale2023 Panorama Audience award 1st Place winner

Cameroon: Half Heaven, Enah Johnscott
Canada: Rojek, Zaynê Akyol (documentary)
Chile: Los Colonos (The Settlers), Felipe Gálvez Haberle #Cannes2023 #UnCertainRegard FIPRESCI UCR Award winner
China: 流浪地球2 The Wandering Earth II, Frank Gwo
Colombia: Un Varón (A Male), Fabián Hernández #Cannes2023 #Quinzaine
Costa Rica: Tengo Sueños Eléctricos (I Have Electric Dreams), Valentina Maurel #Locarno2022 International Competition Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Director awards winner
Croatia: Tragovi (Traces), Dubravke Turić
Cuba: El Mundo de Nelsito (Nelsito's World), Fernando Perez
Czech Republic: Bratři (Brothers), Tomas Masin

Denmark: Bastarden (The Promised Land), Nikolaj Arcel #Venezia80 #BiennaleCinema2023 Competition
Dominican Republic: Cuarencena, David Maler

Egypt: فوي! فوي! فوي Voy! Voy! Voy!, Omar Hilal
Estonia: Savvusanna sõsarad (Smoke Sauna Sisterhood), Anna Hints #Sundance2023 World Cinema Documentary Directing Award winner (documentary)

Finland: Kuolleet lehdet (Fallen Leaves), Aki Kaurismäki #Cannes2023 Competition Jury Award winner, AFCAE Art House Cinema Award Special Mention, and Palm Dog Grand Prix du Jury Award winner
France: La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Taste of Things), Trần Anh Hùng #Cannes2023 Competition Best Director award winner

Georgia: მოქალაქე წმინდანი Mokalake Tsmindani (Citizen Saint), Tinatin Kajrishvili #KarlovyVary2023 Competition
Germany: Das Lehrerzimmer (The Teachers' Lounge), Ilker Çatak #Berlinale2023 C.I.C.A.E. Panorama and Label Europa Cinemas awards winner
Greece: Πίσω από τις θημωνιές Píso apó tis thimoniés (Behind the Haystacks), Asimina Proedrou

Hong Kong: 燈火闌珊 A Light Never Goes Out, Anastasia Tsang
Hungary: Kojot négy lelke (Four Souls of Coyote), Áron Gauder #AnnecyFestival 2023 Jury Award winner (animation)

Iceland: Volaða Land (Godland), Hlynur Pálmason #Cannes2022 #UnCertainRegard
India : 2018 എല്ലാവരും ഒരു ഹീറോയാണ് 2018 Everyone is a Hero, Jude Anthany Joseph
Indonesia: Autobiography, Makbul Mubarak #BiennaleCinema2022 #Orizzonti2022 FIPRESCI award winner
Iran: نگهبان شب Negahban-e Shab (The Night Guardian), Reza Mirkarimi
Iraq: جنائن معلقة Janain mualaqa (Hanging Garderns), Ahmed Yassin Aldaradji #BiennaleCinema2022 #Orizzonti Extra
Ireland: In The Shadow of Beirut, Stephen Gerard Kelly and Garry Keane (documentary)
Israel: 7 ברכות Sheva Brachot (Seven Blessings), Ayelet Menahemi
Italy: Io Capitano, Matteo Garrone #Venezia80 Competition #CinemaBiennale2023 Lion of the Future award winner and many more collateral awards winner

Japan: Perfect Days, Wim Wenders #Cannes2023 Out of Competition Best Actor award winner
Jordan: ان شاء الله ولد Inshallah walad (Ishallah a Boy), Amjad Al Rasheed #Cannes2023 #SdlC2023 GAN Foundation award winner

Kenya: Mvera (Blessing), Daudi Anguka
Kyrgyzstan: Эсимде Esimde (This Is What I Remember), Aktan Arym Kubat #APSA22 Jury Grand Prize winner

Latvia: Mana brīvība (My Freedom), Ilze Kunga – Melgaile
Lithuania: Tu man nieko neprimeni (Slow), Marija Kavtaradzė #Sundance2023 World Cinema - Dramatic Directing Award winner
Luxembourg: Läif a Séil (The Last Ashes), Loïc Tanson

Malaysia: Tiger Stripes, Amanda Nell Eu #Cannes2023 #SemainedelaCritique Grand Prix winner
Mexico: Tótem (Totem), Lila Avilés #Berlinale2023 Competition Ecumenical Jury Award winner
Moldova: Tunete (Thunders), Ioane Bobeica
Mongolia: Sèr sèr salhi (City of Wind), Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir #BiennaleCinema2023 #Orizzonti Best Actor award winner
Montenegro: Sirin, Senad Šahmanović
Morocco: كذب أبيض Kadib Abyad (The Mother of All Lies), Asmae El Moudir (documentary) #Cannes2023 #UnCertainRegard Best Director award winner and L'Œil d'Or Documentary Award winner

Namibia: Under The Hanging Tree, Perivi Katjavivi
Nepal: हलकारा Halkara (The Postman), Bikram Sapkota
Netherlands: Sweet Dreams, Ena Sendijarević #Locarno Concorso Internazionale Leopard for Best Performance winner
Nigeria: Mami Wata, C.J. Obasi, #Sundance2023 World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award Cinematography winner
North Macedonia: Домаќинство за почетници Domakinstvo za pocetnici (Housekeeping for Beginners), Goran Stolevski #BiennaleCinema2023 #Orizzonti Competition #QueerLion award winner and Fondazione Fai Persona Lavoro Ambiente award special mention
Norway: Fedrelandet (Songs of Earth), Magreth Olin (documentary)

Pakistan: In Flames, Zarrar Kahn
Palestine: باي باي طبريا Bye Bye Tibériade (Bye Bye Tiberias), Lina Soualem (documentary) #BiennaleCinema2023 #GiornateDegliAutori
Panama: Tito, Margot y yo (Tito, Margot and me), Mercedes Arias and Delfina Vidal (documentary)
Paraguay: Leal 2, Comando Yaguareté (The Last Runaway 2), Armando Aquino and Mauricio Rial Banti
Peru: La Erección de Toribio Bardelli (The Erection of Toribio Bardelli), Adrián Saba
Philippines: Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing), Carl Joseph Papa (animation)
Poland: Chłopi (The Peasants), DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman (animation)
Portugal: Mal Viver (Bad Living), João Canijo #Berlinale2023 Silver Bear Jury Prize winner

Romania: Nu aștepta prea mult de la sfîrșitul lumii (Do Not Expect Too Much of the End of the World), Radu Jude #Locarno2023 Special Jury Prize winner

Saudi Arabia: Alhamour H.A., Abdulelah Alqurashi
Senegal: Banel & Adama (Banel and Adama), Ramata-Toulaye Sy #Cannes2023 Competition
Serbia: Што се боре мисли моје Što se bore misli moјe (The Duke and The Poet), Milorad Milinkovic
Singapore: 燃冬 Rang Dong (The Breaking Ice), Anthony Chen #Cannes2023 #UnCertainRegard
Slovakia: Svetloplachosť (Photophobia), Ivan Ostrochovský and Pavol Pekarčík (documentary) #BiennaleCinema2023 #GiornateDegliAutori Label Europa Cinemas award winner
Slovenia: Jezdeca (Riders), Dominik Mence #Sarajevo2022 Competition
South Africa: Music is My Life, Dr. Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mpumi Mbele (documentary)
South Korea: 콘크리트 유토피아 Konkeuriteu Yutopia (Concrete Utopia), Uhm Tae-Hwa
Spain: La Sociedad de la Nieve (Society of Snow), J.A. Bayona #BiennaleCinema 2024 Out of Competition Closing Film
Sudan: فيلم وداعاً جوليا Goodbye Julia, Mohamed Kordofani #Cannes2023 #UnCertainRegard Freedom Prize winner
Sweden: Motståndaren (Opponent), Milad Alami #BerlinalelPanorama2023
Switzerland: Foudre (Thunder), Carmen Jaquier

Taiwan: 關於我和鬼變成家人的那件事 Guan yu wo han gui bian cheng jia ren de na jian shi (Marry My Dead Body), Wei-Hao Cheng
Tajikistan: Мелодия (Melody), Behrouz Sebt Rasoul
Thailand: เพื่อน(ไม่)สนิท Not Friends, Atta Hemwadee
Tunisia: بنات ألفة Les Filles d'Olfa (Four Daughters), Kaouther Ben Hania #Cannes2023 Competition L'Œil d'Or Award winner (documentary)
Turkey: Kuru Otlar Üstüne (About Dry Grasses), Nuri Bilge Ceylan  #Cannes2023 Best Actress award winner

UK: The Zone of Interest, Johanthan Glazer #Cannes2023 Competition Grand Prix winner and FIPRESCI Competition award winner
Ukraine: 20 днів у Маріуполі (20 Days in Mariupol), Mstyslav Chernov (documentary) #Sundance2023 World Cinema Documentary Audience Award winner
Uruguay: Temas Propios (Family Album), Guillermo Rocamora

Venezuela: La Sombra del Sol (The Shadow of the Sun), Miguel Angel Ferrer
Vietnam: Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ (Glorious Ashes), Bùi Thạc Chuyên

Yemen: المرهقون Al Murhaqoon (The Burdened), Amr Gamal #Berlinale2023 Panorama Amenesty International Film Award winner and second place in Panorama Audience Award

Check available film info and trailers @MOC.
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