Huge Changes to Oscars Interantional Feature Film Category

Yesterday the Academy made big waves by changing rules for several Oscars categories but none are as significant as the changes in the International Feature Film category that will open to not only films submitted by countries or regions, but also to non-English films winners of top awards in the three major film festivals plus 2 more festivals. In other words, a single country or region could now land multiple nominations for Best International Feature Oscar.

Hope I'm mistaken but now surely will be controversy on how many film festivals are included in the qualifying list and my personal doubt is why Toronto and Sundance are in the list and not San Sebastian, Sarajevo, Karlovy Vary or Locarno? Well, let's hope they open the door only and in the future there will be more film festivals listed. Sigh!

Undoubtedly change generated out of the controversy or frustration when 2023 Palme d'Or winner Anatomy of a Fall was not eligible for the category as France sent a different film, plus the fact that each year there are more films that will/could not be sent by the country where it was filmed due to geo-political conflicts and are major film award winners like for example, The Seed of the Sacred Fig and It Was Just an Accident that were filmed in Iran but both film directors are Iranian dissidents.

Next the Academy will recognize the film as the nominee rather than the country or region and the award will be accepted by the director like has happened always; but, from 2027 on, the name of the director will be listed on the Oscars plaque. This new way will definitively change the award from world cinema award to film award only, so now International Feature Film category lists will have to change accordingly.

Do not think I like this last change as Oscars are (were) about the only awards that can be considered World Cinema Awards as the rest are more "regular" film awards. Movie On blog annual list could change but will decide when time comes, upon first country release of their submission.

The following is copy and paste, with a few space separations for easy reading, of The Academy press release.

In the International Feature Film category, there are now two ways to submit a film for consideration.

1) A film submitted as an official selection by a country or region via the Academy-approved Selection Committees
2) A non-English language film can now be submitted for consideration by winning a qualifying award at an international film festival as specified in the International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List.

Qualifying festivals for the 99th Academy Awards are:

- Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear for Best Film
- Busan International Film Festival Busan Award Best Film Award
- Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or
- Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Grand Jury Prize
- Toronto International Film Festival Platform Award
- Venice International Film Festival Golden Lion)

Additionally, in the International Feature Film category, the film will be credited as the nominee rather than the country or region, and the award will be accepted by the director on behalf of the film’s creative team. The director’s name will be listed on the statuette plaque after the film title and, if applicable, the country or region.

International Feature Film Category Key Dates

Submission deadline 5pm (PT) on Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Shortlist Tuesday, December 15, 2026

Nominations on Thursday, January 21, 2027

Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 14, 2027

As always do not forget to consider that all dates are subject to change and if so, they will be announced via regular press release plus social media.

If you wish to read changes to other Oscars categories go to official site here.  To read complete Rule Sixteen (has been modified with all changes) go official site here. 

Last, according to the new rules there are two films that already qualified to be considered for #Oscars2027 International Feature Film category:

Berlinale Golden Bear: Gelbe Briefe (Yellow Leters), İlker Çatak, Germany, France and Turkey

Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize : Hatixhja dhe Shabani (Shame and Money), Visar Morina, Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia and Belgium

Was checking Busan International Film Festival dates and noticed that fest will run from October 6 to 15, 2026 which is after the submission deadline for this category. We know that for Academy Awards consideration, a feature film must have a qualifying theatrical release between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026. So, it cannot be winner from previous year but only winner from current year, which means that film will be announced AFTER category deadline. Or there will be an exception and accept previous year winner and comply with category deadline?