Oscar Best Foreign Language Film shortlist announced

89 countries submitted work in a record-breaking year.

by Anne-Katrin Titze

Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann won five European Film Awards
Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann won five European Film Awards Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

The 89th Academy Awards Oscar Best Foreign Language Film shortlist has been revealed.

From Norway, The King’s Choice, Erik Poppe, director; Denmark, Land Of Mine, Martin Zandvliet, director; Germany, Toni Erdmann, Maren Ade, director; Iran, The Salesman, Asghar Farhadi, director; Sweden, A Man Called Ove, Hannes Holm, director; Canada, It’s Only The End Of The World, Xavier Dolan, Australia, Tanna, Bentley Dean and Martin Butler, directors; Switzerland, My Life As A Zucchini, Claude Barras, director; Russia, Paradise, Andrei Konchalovsky, director.

Julieta director Pedro Almodóvar is hopeful for his composer Alberto Iglesias.
Julieta director Pedro Almodóvar is hopeful for his composer Alberto Iglesias. Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Gianfranco Rosi's Fire At Sea (Fuocoammare) Italy's Oscar submission is one of the nine documentaries that has been shortlisted for Best Documentary.

Pablo Larraín, the director of Neruda, Chile's submission, has Jackie, starring Natalie Portman, released this year that could garner Oscar nominations in some of the other categories.

Composers Alberto Iglesias for Pedro Almodóvar's Julieta and Anne Dudley for Paul Verhoeven's Elle are two out of 145 eligible for a Best Original Score nomination.

Last year's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner was László Nemes's Son of Saul, starring Géza Röhrig.

A record total of 89 countries submitted a feature film to the Academy for consideration before the October 3 deadline, 85 were accepted. The five films to receive nominations will be announced on January 24, 2017, along with all the other Oscar nominations.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences celebration takes place on February 26, 2017.

Share this with others on...
News

A dark time Kim Sung Soo on capturing history and getting a shot at an Oscar with 12.12: The Day

Reflections of a cat Gints Zilbalodis on Hayao Miyazaki, fairy tales and Latvia’s Oscar submission, Flow

Man about town Gay Talese on Watching Frank, Frank Sinatra, and his latest book, A Town Without Time

Magnificent creatures Jayro Bustamante on giving the girls of Hogar Seguro a voice in Rita

A unified vision DOC NYC highlights and cinematographer Michael Crommett on Dan Winters: Life Is Once. Forever.

Poetry and loss Géza Röhrig on Terrence Malick, Josh Safdie, and Richard Kroehling’s After: Poetry Destroys Silence

More news and features

Interact

More competitions coming soon.