98th Academy Awards International Feature Film Submissions

Update October 25: According to an article published yesterday by Steve Pond from The Wrap only eighty-six (86) appeared in the list of films assigned to voters as there are six (6) less countries and a new country with submission: Malaysia. If Malaysia sent a film -they usually do- final tally is ninety-two (92) countries but goes down to 86 when deleting the six not in the list.

The article continues to mention that "voters were separated into 7 groups, with each group given a list of 12 or 13 films as required viewing" and more interesting "the list of films that were assigned to voters is not necessarily the same as the final list of qualifying films, which the Academy will release at a later date". So, seems this year AMPAS could release the list of accepted films, which is most welcomed to keep good track of this Oscars category.

Nevertheless, some of us do this list because we love films and wish to have access to world cinema and the best way is to at least know the name of films worthy to be sent to the still most prestigious award in the world. I have a serious cinema streaming service and have seen a few of the below films that will never call my attention by what the service writes as a summary and yes, I'm glad I found the name of the film and more, I liked the film. By the way the film is Austria's entry Peacock.

As the world finds ways to divide what once was united, there is a new film award in the industry panorama given by recently minted Eurasian Academy of Cinematographic Arts, the award is the Diamond Butterfly. Already there is a date, November 24, 2025, for the first gala ceremony but can't find a list of contenders that should come from all countries in the world that "strive to protect traditional values". Hope they publish a list of films as, yes, most of them will come from countries that used to send a film to the Oscars but they do not send anymore.

Of course will wait for final AMPAS official list of accepted films to do the final update to this list; meanwhile, the countries that do not appear in voters list are Thailand, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Senegal and Tajikistan.

Been looking for official source for Malaysia alleged submission and no luck, there is nothing in FINAS nor in Malay newspapers. Will wait to final list from AMPAS to add 搖籃凡世 Pavane for an Infant by Chong Keat Aun.

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Update October 15: Today UK announced their submission, and if what has happen before, could be the last country to announce before the unfortunately nowadays non-official list of accepted films is known. According to some industry sources, on October 24 voters will receive their list of films required to view, which means that after that date perhaps the list will become available. AMPAS should go back to be the official source of the list of accepted films as it was in the past but for whatever reason does not do it anymore. Sigh.

As of today there are ninety (90) countries with submissions; but, figure includes two countries with political turmoil that could be or not be in that list. The countries are Madagascar with no official source and Nepal with many contradictory news. If these two countries do not make the acceptance list, then there will be 88 entries and if one of them makes it, then is 89 entries the official tally. Nevertheless, today decided to include Madagascar to the list which will be updated as soon as the accepted films list becomes available.

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Update August 11: Finally the second country to announce is the Czech Republic and can say their selection is surprising; but, definitively the new selection process controversy generated voters discontent. Sigh.
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Update July 16: It is surprising to find two countries publishing their call to submit films to Oscars 2026, first was Papua New Guinea and second, Madagascar. It was surprising as both are not countries with known cinema so had to make sure that announcements were legit. The first check was to find if both film sites existed and yes, they do; then, if in their sites there was an announcement and yes, there is. Therefore decided to include them and with utmost interest will be looking forward to find if they submit a film for AMPAS consideration.

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Update July 15: The first country to announce their submission is Turkey!!!

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As of today, June 2, 2025 decided to publish the post even when there are only a few countries that have announced their call for submissions to #Oscars2026 International Feature Film category. Post will be updated constantly until October 1st, AMPAS submission deadline for this category.

Today May 28 post was opened but will remain unpublished for a while, maybe until July 2025. Still already there are news published about calling submissions to local film academies.

On April 21, 2025 AMPAS published a press release indicating several changes to the rules. These are some of the most interesting changes.

"In a procedural change, Academy members must now watch all nominated films in each category to be eligible to vote in the final round for the Oscars®. All designated nominees will also be included on the final ballot."

I understand that if is the "final round" then they must have watch all the 10/15 shortlisted films, as is almost impossible in the International Feature Film category to watch ALL submissions and much less probable the largest category of all that always has been Best Picture with 300+ eligible films. Nevertheless will be checking for more info regrading this change and will post news if applicable.

As the world is full of serious conflicts and now there are several well-known film directors and creative crew living in other than their own country, AMPAS changed the eligibility requirement regarding creative control.

"In the International Feature Film category, the eligibility requirement regarding creative control has been updated to be inclusive of filmmakers with refugee or asylum status. The submitting country must confirm that creative control of the film was largely in the hands of citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country."

Most interesting for me is to discover that infamous rule 13 that used to list all International Feature Film category rules do not longer identify them; now is Rule Sixteen (16). If you feel like reading the rules go official site here, is a PDF file.

The following are key dates for the #Oscars2026 season.
Submission deadline for International Feature Film: Monday, October 1, 2025
Oscars Shortlists Announcement: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Oscars Nominations Announcement: Tuesday, January 22, 2026
98th Academy Award Ceremony: Sunday, March 15, 2026

The 2026 List

Albania: Luna Park, Florenc Papas #Tiff65 Balkan Survey
Argentina: Belén, Dolores Fonzi #73SSIFF Competition
Armenia: Իմ հայկական ուրվականները Mes fantômes arméniens (My Armenian Phantoms), Tamara Stepanyan #Berlinale2025 Forum Special (documentary)
Australia: The Wolves Always Come at Night, Gabrielle Brady (documentary) #TIFF2024 Platform Award Competition
Austria: Pfau - Bin ich echt? (Peacock), Bernhard Wenger #SdlC2024 Competition #CinemaBiennale2024 winner of Bisato d'Oro for Best Director and Fondazione Fai Persona Lavoro Ambiente Award
Azerbaijan: Tağıyev: Neft (Taghiyev: Oil), Zaur Gasimli

Bangladesh: বাড়ির নাম শাহানা Barir Naam Shahana (A House Named Shahana), Leesa Gazi
Belgium: Jeunes mères (The Young Mother's Home), Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne #Cannes2025 Competition winner of Best Screenplay, Prix Cinéma Positif, Prix Eco Prod, and Ecumenical Jury awards 
Bhutan: མོ་གི་གསང་བའི་ཞབས་ཁྲ I, The Song, Dechen Roder #PÖFF28 Critics’ Picks
Bolivia: La Casa del Sur (The Southern House), Carina Oroza Daroca and Ramiro Fierro
Bosnia Herecegovina: Blum – Gospodari svoje budućnosti (Blum: Masters of Their Own Destiny), Jasmila Žbanić  (documentary)
Brazil: O Secreto Agente (The Secret Agent), Kleber Mendonça Filho #Cannes2025 Competition Best Director, Best Actor, FIPRESCI, and AFCAE Art House Cinema Awards winner
Bulgaria: Стадото Tarika (The Herd), Milko Lazarov

Cambodia: អ្នកស្នងអគារ Tenement, Sokyou Chea and Inrasothythep Neth #IFFR2024 Big Screen Award Competition
Canada: Öldürdüğün Şeyler (The Things You Kill), Alireza Khatami #Sundance2025 World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award winner
Chile: La Misteriosa Mirada del Flamenco (The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo),  Diego Céspedes #Cannes2025 Un Certain Regard Prize winner #QueerPalm Competition
China: 南京照相馆 Nanjing Zhao Xiang Guan (Dead to Rights), Shēn Ào
Colombia: Un Poeta (A Poet), Simón Mesa Soto #Cannes2025 #UCR2025 Jury Prize winner
Costa Rica: El Monaguillo, el Cura y el Jardinero, Juan Manuel Fernández Escoto (documentary)
Croatia: Fiume o morte!, Igor Bezinović #IFFR2025 Tiger Competition Tiger Award and FIPRESCI Prize winner (documentary)
Czech Republic: Jeste nejsem, kým chci být (I'm Not Everything I Want to Be), Klára Tasovská  #Berlinale2024 Panorama (documentary)

Denmark: Mr. Nobody Against Putin, David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin (documentary) #Sundance2025 World Cinema Documentary Competition, Special Jury Award winner
Dominican Republic: Pepe, Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias #Berlinale2024 Competition Silver Bear for Best Director winner

Ecuador: Chuzalongo, Diego Ortuño
Egypt: عيد ميلاد سعيد Happy Birthday, Sarah Goher #Tribeca2025 Nora Ephron Award winner, Best Screenplay and Best International Narrative Feature winner
Estonia: Pikad paberid (Rolling Papers), Meel Paliale

Finland: 100 litraa sahtia (100 Litres of Gold), Teemu Nikki
France: یک تصادف ساده Yek tasadef sadeh (It Was Just an Accident), Jafar Panahi #Cannes2024 Palme d'Or and Prix de la Citoyenneté winner

Georgia: პანოპტიკონს Panopticon, George Sikharulidze #KVIFF2024 Competition Ecumenical Jury award special mention
Germany: In die Sonne schauen (Sound of Falling), Mascha Schilinski #Cannes2025 Competition winner of Jury Prize
Greece: Αρκάντια Arcadia, Yorgos Zois #Berlinae2024 Encounters
Greenland: Walls -Akinni Inuk, Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg and Sofie Rørdam (documentary)

Haiti: Kidnapping Inc., Bruno Mourral #Sundance2024 Midnight
Hong Kong: 破．地獄 Po · Dei juk (The Last Dance), Anselm Chan
Hungary: Árva (Orphan), László Nemes #Venezia82 Competition #BiennaleCinema2025

Iceland: Ástin sem eftir er (The Love That Remains), Hlynur Pálmason #Cannes2025 Premiere
India: होमबाउंड Homebound, Neeraj Ghaywan #UCR2025 #Cannes2025
Indonesia: Sore: Istri dari Masa Depan (Sore: Wife from the Future), Yandy Laurens
Iran: علت مرگ: نامعلوم Cause of Death: Unknown, Ali Zarnegar
Iraq: مملكة القصب Mamlaket Al-Qasab (The President's Cake), Hasan Hadi #Quinzaine2025 #Cannes2025 Camera d'Or winner
Ireland: Sanatorium, Gar O'Rouke (documentary)
Israel: הים The Sea, Shai Carmeli-Pollak
Italy: Familia, Francesco Costabile #Venezia81 #Orizzonti2024 #CinemaBiennale2024 Orizzonti Best Actor, Cinema for UNICEF, Premio Fedic Special Mention, Nuovoimaeie Talent Award Best Newcomer Actress, and RB Casting Award winner

Japan: 国宝 Kokuhô (Kokuho), Lee Sang-il #Quinzaine2025 #Cannes2025 
Jordan: اللي باقي منك Ally baqi mink (All That's Left of You), Cherien Dabis #Sundance2025 Premieres

Kazakhstan: Кадеt Kadet (Cadet), Adilkhan Yerzhanov #Berlinale2025 Forum
Kyrgyzstan: Kara Kyzyl Sary (Black Red Yellow), Aktan Arym Kubat #ShanghaiIFF2025 Golden Goblet Best Feature Film winner

Latvia: Dieva suns (Dog of God), Lauris Ābele and Raitis Ābele (animation) #Tribeca2025 Escape from Tribeca
Lebanon: نجوم الأمل والألم A Sad and Beatiful World, Cyril Aris #GdA2025 Competition People's Choice Award winner #BiennaleCinema2025
Lithuania: Pietinia kronikas (The Southern Chronicles), Ignas Miskinis
Luxembourg: Hors d'Haleine (Breathing Underwater), Eric Lamhène

Madagascar: Disko Afrika: une histoire malgache (Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story), Luck Razanajaona #Belinale2024 #Generation2024 14plus AG Kino Gilde-Cinema Vision Special Mention
Mexico: No Nos Moverán (We Shall not be Moved), Pierre Saint-Martin Castellanos
Mongolia: Чимээгүй хотын жолооч Chimeegüi khotyn jolooch (Silent City Driver), Janchivdorj Sengedorj #PÖFF2024 Grand Prix and Best Production Design winner
Montenegro: Obraz (The Tower of Stregth), Nikola Vukčević
Morocco: Calle Málaga, Maryam Touzani #Venezia82 Sportlight #BiennaleCinema2025 Armani Beauty Audience Award winner

Nepal: अन्जिला Anjila, Milan Chams
Netherlands: Rietland (Reedland), Sven Bresser #SdlC2025 Competition #Cannes2025
North Macedonia: Силјан Siljan (The Tale of Silyan), Tamara Kotevska #Venezia82 Out of Competition #BiennaleCinema2025 (documentary) Cinema and Arts Best Film Award winner
Norway: Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier #Cannes2025 Competition Grand Prize winner

Palestine: فلسطين ٣٦ Palestine 36, Annemarie Jacir
Panama: Querido Trópico (Beloved Tropic), Ana Endara Mislov #72SSIFF Horizontes Latinos
Papua New Guinea: പപ്പ ബുക്ക Papa Buka, Bijukumar Damodaran
Paraguay: Bajo Las Banderas, el Sol (Under the Flags, the Sun), Juanjo Pereira #Berlinale2025 Panorama Dokumente (documentary)
Peru: Kinra (Motherland), Marco Panatonic
Philippines: Magalhães (Magellan), Lav Diaz #Cannes2025 Premiere
Poland: Franz, Agnieszka Holland #53SSIFF Competition
Portugal: Banzo, Margarida Cardoso #KVIFF2024 Competition

Romania: Jaful secolului (Traffic), Teodora Ana Mihai #IFFR2025 RTM

Saudi Arabia: هجری Hijra, Shahad Ameen #Venezia82 Spotlight #CinemaBiennale2025 Netpac Award winner
Senegal: Demba, Mamamou Dia #Berlinale2024 Encounters
Serbia: Sunce nikad više (Sun Never Again), David Јovanović #PÖFF28 First Feature Competition 
Singapore 默視錄 Mò shì lù (Stranger Eyes), Yeo Siew Hua #Venezia81 Competition #BiennaleCinema2024
Slovakia: Otec (Father), Tereza Nvotová #Venezia82 #Orizzonti2025 #BiennaleCinema2025
Slovenia: Kaj ti je deklica (Little Trouble Girls), Urška Djukić #Berlinale2025 Perspectives FIPRESCI Award winner
South Africa: The Heart is a Muscle, Imran Hamdulay #Berlinale2025 Panorama
South Korea: 어쩔수가없다 Eojjeolsugaeopda (No Other Choice), Chan-wook Park #Venezia82 Competition
Spain: Sirât, Oliver Laxe #Cannes2025 Competition Jury Prize winner, Cannes Soundtrack award winner, Palm Dog Grand Prix du Jury winner, and AFCAE Art House Cinema Award Special Mention
Sweden: Eagles of the Republic, Tarik Saleh #Cannes2025 Competition
Switzerland: Heldin (Late Shift), Petra Volpe, Switzerland and Germany #Berlinale2025 Special Gala

Taiwan: 左撇子女孩 Left-Handed Girl, Shih-Ching Tsou #SdlC25 Competition #Cannes2025 Gan Foundation Award for Distribution and Grand Rail d'Or winner
Tajikistan: Чёрный кролик, белый кролик Black Rabbit, White Rabbit, Shahram Mokri #Busan2025 Vision Film Festival of India - Vision Asia Award winner
Thailand: ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ Pee Chai Dai Ka (A Useful Ghost), Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke winner of #SdlC2025 Grand Prix #Cannes2025
Tunisia: صوت هند رجب The Voice of Hind Rajab, Kaouther Ben Hania #Venezia82 Competition Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize winner and eight collateral awards
Turkey: Hemme'nin Öldüğü Günlerden Biri (One of Those Days When Hemme Dies), Murat Fıratoğlu, Turkey #BiennaleCinema2024 Orizzonti Special Jury Prize winner

Uganda: Kimote, Hassan Mageye
Ukraine: 2000 метрів до Андріївки 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Mstyslav Chernov (documentary) #Sundance2025 World Cinema Documentary Directing Award winner
United Kingdom: My Father's Shadow, Akinola Davies Jr. #Cannes2025 #UCR2025 Camera d'Or Special Mention winner
Uruguay: Agárrame Fuerte (Don't You Let Me Go), Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge #Tribeca2024 Nora Ephron Award winner

Venezuela: Alí Primera, Daniel Yegres
Vietnam: Mưa đỏ Mua Do (Red Rain), Dang Thai Huyen

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News

Algeria: Submissions from August 11 to September 4. No submission this year.
Guatemala: call for selection committee deadline July 27. Submissions from August 14 to 31.
Kenya: Submissions deadline September 11. No submission this year.
Kosovo: Submissions deadline July 21, 2025
Malta: Submissions deadline September 1st. No submission this year. 
Namibia: Submissions deadline September 22. No submission this year. 
Nepal: Decision put on hold. New call for submissions.
Nigeria: Submissions from August 13 to September 12. No submission this year. 
Pakistan: Submission deadline August 15
Rwanda: First ever Oscar Selection Committee. Submission deadline September 18.
Sudan: Submissions deadline September 15. No submission this year
Zimbawe: Submissions deadline September 12