A page dedicated solely on the 90+ submissions entered into the Academy Awards
THE HALFWAY MARK
JULY 1, 2024
JULY 1, 2024
We’ve now reached the halfway mark and so we’re around 30 days or so from the first official submission being announced. Last year Switzerland announced their film Thunder on August 4th. The International Feature category this year is poised to be yet another incredible year of films from all around the world.
Usually by now, we'd have a good indication of who is potentially the frontrunner. This year has started out a little differently. There seems to be a lot of films starting out with excellent reviews, but none of them have received the kind of reception that The Zone of Interest received last year, or Drive My Car, Another Round, Parasite and Roma in previous years. This is setting up to be an exciting race, as we're unsure as to who will win, let alone be nominated.
As of right now, there seems to be a lot of buzz coming out of the Cannes Film Festival for numerous films including The Girl with the Needle (Denmark), When the Light Breaks (Iceland), and All We Imagine as Light (India). And then we have Dying (Germany), All Shall Be Well (Hong Kong), No Other Land (Palestine), and Crossing (Sweden) who debuted earlier. We're also unsure which film France, Italy, Spain and Japan will submit as well.
If we had to choose five films right now as potential nominees we would have to go with the following:
Last year we only predicted one correctly: The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom). We also predicted The Taste of Things (France), which was shortlisted, Monster (they submitted Oscar nominated Perfect Days instead), La Chimera (they submitted Oscar nominated The Captain instead), and About Dry Grasses (Turkey). Let's see how we do this year.
Usually by now, we'd have a good indication of who is potentially the frontrunner. This year has started out a little differently. There seems to be a lot of films starting out with excellent reviews, but none of them have received the kind of reception that The Zone of Interest received last year, or Drive My Car, Another Round, Parasite and Roma in previous years. This is setting up to be an exciting race, as we're unsure as to who will win, let alone be nominated.
As of right now, there seems to be a lot of buzz coming out of the Cannes Film Festival for numerous films including The Girl with the Needle (Denmark), When the Light Breaks (Iceland), and All We Imagine as Light (India). And then we have Dying (Germany), All Shall Be Well (Hong Kong), No Other Land (Palestine), and Crossing (Sweden) who debuted earlier. We're also unsure which film France, Italy, Spain and Japan will submit as well.
If we had to choose five films right now as potential nominees we would have to go with the following:
- The Girl with the Needle (Denmark)
- Dying (Germany)
- All We Imagine as Light (India)
- No Other Land (Palestine)
- Crossing (Sweden)
Last year we only predicted one correctly: The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom). We also predicted The Taste of Things (France), which was shortlisted, Monster (they submitted Oscar nominated Perfect Days instead), La Chimera (they submitted Oscar nominated The Captain instead), and About Dry Grasses (Turkey). Let's see how we do this year.
THE CANNES 2024 FILM FESTIVAL WRAP-UP
MAY 25, 2024
MAY 25, 2024
Awards for the in competition films of the 77th Cannes Film Festival were announced live in Cannes at the Grand Palais theater today where Sean Baker's Anora won the Palme d’Or, the top prize of the festival. Baker is the first American filmmaker to take the win since Terrence Malik won in 2011 for The Tree of Life. Here are all the winners:
Last year, 6 of the top 15 shortlisted films debuted at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and the year before it was 9. Let's take a look at which films could be contenders this year.
To continue reading, please click HERE.
- Palme d’Or: Anora by Sean Baker
- Grand Prize: All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia
- Jury Prize: Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard
- Director: Grand Tour by Miguel Gomes
- Actor: Jesse Plemons for Kinds of Kindness
- Actress: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz for Emilia Perez
- Screenplay: The Substance by Coralie Fargeat
- Special Prize: The Seed of the Sacred Fig by Mohammad Rasoulof
Last year, 6 of the top 15 shortlisted films debuted at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and the year before it was 9. Let's take a look at which films could be contenders this year.
To continue reading, please click HERE.
SO WHO ARE THE EARLY CONTENDERS FOR 2024?
MAY 9, 2024
MAY 9, 2024
As we continue on with the 2024 season, let's take a look at the first set of films that have already received very strong reviews. There haven't been any official submissions yet, as countries will start to announce their choices around August, but let's take a look at the ten films so far that could be contenders if they're officially submitted:
Our attention now shifts towards the Cannes Film Festival, which begins on May 14th. Last year, 6 of the 15 shortlisted films debuted at the festival in France.
- Memories of a Burning Body (Costa Rica)
- Sons (Denmark)
- Pepe (Dominican Republic)
- Dying (Germany)
- All Shall Be Well (Hong Kong)
- Sujo (Mexico)
- No Other Land (Palestine)
- Dahomey (Senegal)
- Crossing (Sweden)
- Who Do I Belong To (Tunisia)
Our attention now shifts towards the Cannes Film Festival, which begins on May 14th. Last year, 6 of the 15 shortlisted films debuted at the festival in France.
KEY DATES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE 97TH ACADEMY AWARDS
MAY 1, 2024
MAY 1, 2024
The 97th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 2, 2025. The show will air live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
The key date for the International Feature category will be on October 2, 2024. All films eligible for best International Feature must be submitted before that date. The next announcement will be on December 17, 2024. This is when the 90+ submissions will get reduced down to 15. The nominations will be announced on January 17, 2025. This is when the final 15 will go down to the 5 nominees for the 97th Academy Awards.
The key date for the International Feature category will be on October 2, 2024. All films eligible for best International Feature must be submitted before that date. The next announcement will be on December 17, 2024. This is when the 90+ submissions will get reduced down to 15. The nominations will be announced on January 17, 2025. This is when the final 15 will go down to the 5 nominees for the 97th Academy Awards.
- International Feature Film Deadline: October 2, 2024
- Oscar Shortlists Announcement: December 17, 2024
- Nominations voting begins: January 8, 2025
- Nominations voting ends: January 12, 2025
- Oscar Nominations Announcement: January 17, 2025
- Finals voting begins: February 11, 2025
- Finals voting ends 5 p.m. PT: February 18, 2025
- 96th Oscars: March 2, 2025
THE 88 SUBMISSIONS FOR 2023
APRIL 30, 2024
APRIL 30, 2024
With only 15 films making the shortlist, there will always be a lot of amazing submissions that just miss out. We think and hope that The Academy will increase the shortlisted list to 20 films, especially as more and more International films are being recognized at the Oscars.
Here's the list of our favourite 10 films that missed out on being shortlisted:
It was a phenomenal year of films and we're now looking ahead to see which films we will fall in love with in 2024. The first set of submissions will be announced in early August.
Here's the list of our favourite 10 films that missed out on being shortlisted:
- Shayda (Australia)
- Vera (Austria)
- Excursion (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Blaga's Lessons (Bulgaria)
- Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Estonia)
- In the Shadow of Beirut (Ireland)
- Seven Blessings (Israel)
- Slow (Lithuania)
- The Missing (Philippines)
- Opponent (Sweden)
It was a phenomenal year of films and we're now looking ahead to see which films we will fall in love with in 2024. The first set of submissions will be announced in early August.
AND WHO ELSE MADE THE SHORTLISTED TOP 15?
APRIL 25, 2024
APRIL 25, 2024
On December 21, 2023, along with the five films mentioned previously, these 10 films also made the shortlist, which made up the top 15 films for the 2023 International Feature category:
- Amerikatsi (Armenia)
- The Monk and the Gun (Bhutan)
- The Promised Land (Denmark)
- Fallen Leaves (Finland)
- The Taste of Things (France)
- Godland (Iceland)
- Totem (Mexico)
- The Mother of All Lies (Morocco)
- Four Daughters (Tunisia)
- 20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine)
LET'S HAVE A QUICK RE-CAP ON LAST SEASON
APRIL 19, 2024
APRIL 19, 2024
Since it's the "off-season" right now, and as we anxiously wait for the Cannes Film Festival to begin, let's re-visit the films that were nominated last year at the Oscars for International Feature:
The Zone of Interest also won the Oscar for Best Sound. The film was further nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine) won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Four Daughters (Tunisia) was nominated in the same category.
Society of the Snow (Spain) was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
All seven films are available now on video on demand.
- Io Capitano (Italy)
- Perfect Days (Japan)
- Society of the Snow (Spain)
- The Teachers' Lounge (Germany)
- The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) - WINNER
The Zone of Interest also won the Oscar for Best Sound. The film was further nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine) won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Four Daughters (Tunisia) was nominated in the same category.
Society of the Snow (Spain) was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
All seven films are available now on video on demand.
ELIGIBILITY? HOW DOES IT WORK?
APRIL 14, 2024
APRIL 14, 2024
The International Feature category for the Academy Awards can be a little bit of a complicated process, but here’s an easy way to see how it works.
Every year, all 197 countries around the world have the ability to submit one movie of its choice to the Oscars under International Feature. Last year, in 2023, 88 countries submitted a film. The movie has to be released within their own country between January 1st and December 31st on the same calendar year. The film has to be predominantly in a non English language, so Canada, Ireland, Australia can submit a movie, but they need to be in French, Gaelic, Persian etc.
The deadline to submit a movie is usually around October 1st. This is a very nerve wracking part of the season as countries like Italy, France and Spain have tons of amazing films to choose from so it’s always interesting to see which one they end up picking.
After the deadline has passed, all submitted films are then seen by an executive committee who then choose the top 15 best films of the year and the list is announced around mid-December. From there, those 15 shortlisted films are then reduced again to the final 5 by members of the Academy, and they're announced on the morning of the Oscar nominations. From there, the winner is then announced at the Oscars.
Every year, all 197 countries around the world have the ability to submit one movie of its choice to the Oscars under International Feature. Last year, in 2023, 88 countries submitted a film. The movie has to be released within their own country between January 1st and December 31st on the same calendar year. The film has to be predominantly in a non English language, so Canada, Ireland, Australia can submit a movie, but they need to be in French, Gaelic, Persian etc.
The deadline to submit a movie is usually around October 1st. This is a very nerve wracking part of the season as countries like Italy, France and Spain have tons of amazing films to choose from so it’s always interesting to see which one they end up picking.
After the deadline has passed, all submitted films are then seen by an executive committee who then choose the top 15 best films of the year and the list is announced around mid-December. From there, those 15 shortlisted films are then reduced again to the final 5 by members of the Academy, and they're announced on the morning of the Oscar nominations. From there, the winner is then announced at the Oscars.
WELCOME TO OUR THIRD YEAR - A SITE DEDICATED SOLELY ON THE INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SUBMISSIONS FOR THE OSCARS
APRIL 10, 2024
APRIL 10, 2024
We're now slowly getting ready to start with the new season for International Feature. All of our news and stories from last season can be found under the news tab or by clicking HERE.
I’ve been following the Oscar race for around 16 years now but my passion for the International Feature category started 7 years ago. I began watching around 30 of the submissions and I was overwhelmed by the amount of amazing films I saw that year. The following year I watched 50 of them. And in the past five years I’ve managed to watch each and every submission. These films are all so unique and remarkable and astounding works that should be celebrated and seen by everyone who's a movie fan.
This website is dedicated to the 90+ films that are submitted to the International Feature category every year for the Academy Awards. It will feature information on each film, including trailers, release dates, film festival dates, reviews, predictions, our own film festival and more. This will make it easy for all movie fans to find the information needed for any film that they want to watch. So let's get started with the new season.
I’ve been following the Oscar race for around 16 years now but my passion for the International Feature category started 7 years ago. I began watching around 30 of the submissions and I was overwhelmed by the amount of amazing films I saw that year. The following year I watched 50 of them. And in the past five years I’ve managed to watch each and every submission. These films are all so unique and remarkable and astounding works that should be celebrated and seen by everyone who's a movie fan.
This website is dedicated to the 90+ films that are submitted to the International Feature category every year for the Academy Awards. It will feature information on each film, including trailers, release dates, film festival dates, reviews, predictions, our own film festival and more. This will make it easy for all movie fans to find the information needed for any film that they want to watch. So let's get started with the new season.