Ninety-two countries submitted films that were eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 95th Academy Awards, one less than the numbers submitted for the 94th, 93rd and 92nd Academy Awards.
Edward Berger accepts the Oscar® for International Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany) directed by Edward Berger won the Oscar for International Feature Film. It was Germany’s third win in the category (fourth if your count The Tin Drum when West Germany). All Quiet on the Western Front was the eighth non-English language film to be nominated for both International Feature Film and Best Picture in the same year. Each of the previous films (Z, 1969; Life Is Beautiful, 1998; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000; Amour, 2012; Roma, 2018; Parasite, 2019; and Drive My Car, 2021) also won for International Feature Film. Parasite is still the only film to also win Best Picture.
The five nominated films for the 95th awards were:
All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany) [Directed by Edward Berger.] – This is the twelfth nomination for Germany. Previous nominations were for The Nasty Girl (1990), Schtonk! (1992), Beyond Silence (1997), Nowhere in Africa, which won the award for 2002, Downfall (2004), Sophie Scholl – The Final Days (2005), The Lives of Others, which won the award for 2006, The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008), The White Ribbon (2009), Toni Erdmann (2016) and Never Look Away (2018). Prior to reunification in 1990, the Federal Republic of Germany received a total of eight nominations. They were for The Captain of Kopenick (1956), The Devil Came at Night (1957), Arms and the Man (1958), The Bridge (1959), The Pedestrian (1973), The Glass Cell (1978), The Tin Drum (1979), which won the award, and Angry Harvest (1985). Also prior to reunification, the German Democratic Republic received one nomination, for Jacob, the Liar (1976).
All Quiet on the Western Front is the eighth non-English language film to be nominated for both International Feature Film and Best Picture in the same year. Each of the previous films (Z, 1969; Life Is Beautiful, 1998; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000; Amour, 2012; Roma, 2018; Parasite, 2019; and Drive My Car, 2021) won for International Feature Film. To date, Parasite is the only film to also win Best Picture.
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) [Directed by Santiago Mitre.] – This is the eighth nomination for Argentina. Previous nominations were for The Truce (1974), Camila (1984), The Official Story, which won the award for 1985, Tango (1998), Son of the Bride (2001), The Secret in Their Eyes, which won the award for 2009, and Wild Tales (2014).
Close (Belgium) [Directed by Lukas Dhont.] – This is the eighth nomination for Belgium. Previous nominations were for Paix Sur Les Champs (1970), The Music Teacher (1988), Daens (1992), Farinelli: Il Castrato (1994), Everybody Famous! (2000), Bullhead (2011) and The Broken Circle Breakdown (2013).
EO (Poland) [Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski.] – This is the thirteenth nomination for Poland. Previous nominations were for Knife in the Water (1963), Pharaoh (1966), The Deluge (1974), Land of Promise (1975), Nights and Days (1976), The Maids of Wilko (1979), Man of Iron (1981), Katyn (2007), In Darkness (2011), Ida, which won the award for 2014, Cold War (2018) and Corpus Christi (2019).
The Quiet Girl (Ireland) [Directed by Colm Bairéad.] – This is the first nomination for Ireland.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track.
Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
The shortlist of 15 films announced on Wednesday, 21 December 2022 were in alphabetical order by country:
Argentina, “Argentina, 1985”
Austria, “Corsage”
Belgium, “Close”
Cambodia, “Return to Seoul”
Denmark, “Holy Spider”
France, “Saint Omer”
Germany, “All Quiet on the Western Front”
India, “Last Film Show”
Ireland, “The Quiet Girl”
Mexico, “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”
Morocco, “The Blue Caftan”
Pakistan, “Joyland”
Poland, “EO”
South Korea, “Decision to Leave”
Sweden, “Cairo Conspiracy”
Edward Berger accepts the Oscar® for International Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
The full list of the 92 films submitted for the 95th awards were:
- Albania, “A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On”
- Algeria, “Our Brothers”
- Argentina, “Argentina, 1985”
- Armenia, “Aurora’s Sunrise”
- Australia, “You Won’t Be Alone”
- Austria, “Corsage”
- Azerbaijan, “Creators”
- Bangladesh, “Hawa”
- Belgium, “Close”
- Bolivia, “Utama”
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, “A Ballad”
- Brazil, “Mars One”
- Bulgaria, “In the Heart of the Machine”
- Cambodia, “Return to Seoul”
- Cameroon, “The Planters Plantation”
- Canada, “Eternal Spring”
- Chile, “Blanquita”
- China, “Nice View”
- Colombia, “The Kings of the World”
- Costa Rica, “Domingo and the Mist”
- Croatia, “Safe Place”
- Czech Republic, “Il Boemo”
- Denmark, “Holy Spider”
- Dominican Republic, “Bantú Mama”
- Ecuador, “Lo Invisible”
- Estonia, “Kalev”
- Finland, “Girl Picture”
- France, “Saint Omer”
- Georgia, “A Long Break”
- Germany, “All Quiet on the Western Front”
- Greece, “Magnetic Fields”
- Guatemala, “The Silence of the Mole”
- Hong Kong, “Where the Wind Blows”
- Hungary, “Blockade”
- Iceland, “Beautiful Beings”
- India, “Last Film Show”
- Indonesia, “Missing Home”
- Iran, “World War III”
- Iraq, “The Exam”
- Ireland, “The Quiet Girl”
- Israel, “Cinema Sabaya”
- Italy, “Nostalgia”
- Japan, “Plan 75”
- Jordan, “Farha”
- Kazakhstan, “Life”
- Kenya, “TeraStorm”
- Kosovo, “Looking for Venera”
- Kyrgyzstan, “Home for Sale”
- Latvia, “January”
- Lebanon, “Memory Box”
- Lithuania, “Pilgrims”
- Luxembourg, “Icarus”
- Mexico, “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”
- Moldova, “Carbon”
- Mongolia, “Harvest Moon”
- Montenegro, “The Elegy of Laurel”
- Morocco, “The Blue Caftan”
- Nepal, “Butterfly on a Windowpane”
- Netherlands, “Narcosis”
- New Zealand, “Muru”
- North Macedonia, “The Happiest Man in the World”
- Norway, “War Sailor”
- Pakistan, “Joyland”
- Palestine, “Mediterranean Fever”
- Panama, “Birthday Boy”
- Paraguay, “Eami”
- Peru, “Moon Heart”
- Philippines, “On the Job: The Missing 8”
- Poland, “EO”
- Portugal, “Alma Viva”
- Romania, “Imaculat”
- Saudi Arabia, “Raven Song”
- Senegal, “Xalé”
- Serbia, “Darkling”
- Singapore, “Ajoomma”
- Slovakia, “Victim”
- Slovenia, “Orchestra”
- South Korea, “Decision to Leave”
- Spain, “Alcarràs”
- Sweden, “Cairo Conspiracy”
- Switzerland, “A Piece of Sky”
- Taiwan, “Goddamned Asura”
- Tanzania, “Tug of War”
- Thailand, “One for the Road”
- Tunisia, “Under the Fig Trees”
- Turkey, “Kerr”
- Uganda, “Tembele”
- Ukraine, “Klondike”
- United Kingdom, “Winners”
- Uruguay, “The Employer and the Employee”
- Venezuela, “The Box”
- Vietnam, “578: Magnum”
“Drive My Car” from Japan, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, won the Oscar for best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. It was Japan’s fifth win in the category, and first since “Departures” in 2008.
“Drive My Car” was the fourteenth nomination for Japan. Previous nominations were for Harp of Burma (1956), Immortal Love (1961), Twin Sisters of Kyoto (1963), Woman in the Dunes (1964), Kwaidan (1965), Portrait of Chieko (1967), Dodes’ka-Den (1971), Sandakan No. 8 (1975), Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) (1980), Muddy River (1981), The Twilight Samurai (2003), Departures (2008), which won the award, and Shoplifters (2018).
Prior to the establishment of a regular award category in 1956, Japan received three Honorary Foreign Language Film Awards for Rashomon (1951), Gate of Hell (1954) and Samurai, The Legend of Musashi (1955).
Ryusuke Hamaguchi accepts the Oscar for International Feature during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, 27 March.
Ninety-three countries submitted films that were eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 94th Academy Awards, the same number as submitted for the 93rd and 92nd Academy Awards.
The five nominated films for the 94th Academy Awards were:
Drive My Car (Japan) Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. – This is the fourteenth nomination for Japan. Previous nominations were for Harp of Burma (1956), Immortal Love (1961), Twin Sisters of Kyoto (1963), Woman in the Dunes (1964), Kwaidan (1965), Portrait of Chieko (1967), Dodes’ka-Den (1971), Sandakan No. 8 (1975), Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) (1980), Muddy River (1981), The Twilight Samurai (2003), Departures (2008), which won the award, and Shoplifters (2018). Prior to the establishment of a regular award category in 1956, Japan received three Honorary Foreign Language Film Awards for Rashomon (1951), Gate of Hell (1954) and Samurai, The Legend of Musashi (1955).
Flee (Denmark Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen – This is the fourteenth nomination for Denmark. It has won four Oscars: for Babette’s Feast (1987), Pelle the Conqueror (1988), In a Better World (2010) and last year’s Another Round (2020). Other nominations were for Qivitoq (1956), Paw (1959), Harry and the Butler (1961), Waltzing Regitze (1989), After the Wedding (2006), A Royal Affair (2012), The Hunt (2013), A War (2015) and Land of Mine (2016).
The Hand of God (Italy) Directed by Paolo Sorrentino – This is the twenty-ninth nomination for Italy. It has won the award eleven times: for La Strada (1956), The Nights of Cabiria (1957), Federico Fellini’s 81⁄2 (1963), Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1964), Investigation of a Citizen above Suspicion (1970), The Garden of the Finzi Continis (1971), Amarcord (1974), Cinema Paradiso (1989), Mediterraneo (1991), Life Is Beautiful (1998) and The Great Beauty (2013). Prior to the establishment of a regular award category in 1956, Italy also received three Special/Honorary Awards, for Shoe-Shine (1947), The Bicycle Thief (1949) and The Walls of Malapaga (1950) [shared with France]. Other nominations were for The Usual Unidentified Thieves (1958), The Great War (1959), Kapo (1960), The Four Days of Naples (1962), Marriage Italian Style (1965), The Battle of Algiers (1966), The Girl with the Pistol (1968), Scent of a Woman (1975), Seven Beauties (1976), A Special Day (1977), Viva Italia! (1978), To Forget Venice (1979), Three Brothers (1981), The Family (1987), Open Doors (1990), The Star Maker (1995) and Don’t Tell (2005).
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) Directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji – This is the first nomination for Bhutan.
The Worst Person in the World (Norway) Directed by Joachim Trier. This is the sixth nomination for Norway. Previous nominations were for Nine Lives (1957), Pathfinder (1987), The Other Side of Sunday (1996), Elling (2001) and Kon-Tiki (2012).
The shortlist of 15 films announced on Tuesday, 21 December 2021 were in alphabetical order by country, are:
Austria, “Great Freedom”
Belgium, “Playground”
Bhutan, “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”
Denmark, “Flee”
Finland, “Compartment No. 6”
Germany, “I’m Your Man”
Iceland, “Lamb”
Iran, “A Hero”
Italy, “The Hand of God”
Japan, “Drive My Car”
Kosovo, “Hive”
Mexico, “Prayers for the Stolen”
Norway, “The Worst Person in the World”
Panama, “Plaza Catedral”
Spain, “The Good Boss”
The full list of the 93 films submitted fro the 94th awards were:
- Albania, “Two Lions to Venice”
- Algeria, “Heliopolis”
- Argentina, “The Intruder”
- Armenia, “Should the Wind Drop”
- Australia, “When Pomegranates Howl”
- Austria, “Great Freedom”
- Azerbaijan, “The Island Within”
- Bangladesh, “Rehana”
- Belgium, “Playground”
- Bhutan, “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”
- Bolivia, “The Great Movement”
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, “The White Fortress”
- Brazil, “Private Desert”
- Bulgaria, “Fear”
- Cambodia, “White Building”
- Cameroon, “Hidden Dreams”
- Canada, “Drunken Birds”
- Chad, “Lingui, The Sacred Bonds”
- Chile, “White on White”
- China, “Cliff Walkers”
- Colombia, “Memoria”
- Costa Rica, “Clara Sola”
- Croatia, “Tereza37”
- Czech Republic, “Zátopek”
- Denmark, “Flee”
- Dominican Republic, “Holy Beasts”
- Ecuador, “Submersible”
- Egypt, “Souad”
- Estonia, “On the Water”
- Finland, “Compartment No. 6”
- France, “Titane”
- Georgia, “Brighton 4th”
- Germany, “I’m Your Man”
- Greece, “Digger”
- Haiti, “Freda”
- Hong Kong, “Zero to Hero”
- Hungary, “Post Mortem”
- Iceland, “Lamb”
- India, “Pebbles”
- Indonesia, “Yuni”
- Iran, “A Hero”
- Iraq, “Europa”
- Ireland, “Shelter”
- Israel, “Let It Be Morning”
- Italy, “The Hand of God”
- Japan, “Drive My Car”
- Jordan, “Amira”
- Kazakhstan, “Yellow Cat”
- Kenya, “Mission to Rescue”
- Kosovo, “Hive”
- Kyrgyzstan, “Shambala”
- Latvia, “The Pit”
- Lebanon, “Costa Brava, Lebanon”
- Lithuania, “Isaac”
- Luxembourg, “Io Sto Bene”
- Malawi, “Fatsani: A Tale of Survival”
- Malaysia, “Hail, Driver!”
- Malta, “Luzzu”
- Mexico, “Prayers for the Stolen”
- Montenegro, “After the Winter”
- Morocco, “Casablanca Beats”
- Netherlands, “Do Not Hesitate”
- North Macedonia, “Sisterhood”
- Norway, “The Worst Person in the World”
- Palestine, “The Stranger”
- Panama, “Plaza Catedral”
- Paraguay, “Nothing but the Sun”
- Peru, “Powerful Chief”
- Poland, “Leave No Traces”
- Portugal, “The Metamorphosis of Birds”
- Romania, “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn”
- Russia, “Unclenching the Fists”
- Saudi Arabia, “The Tambour of Retribution”
- Serbia, “Oasis”
- Singapore, “Precious Is the Night”
- Slovakia, “107 Mothers”
- Slovenia, “Sanremo”
- Somalia, “The Gravedigger’s Wife”
- South Africa, “Barakat”
- South Korea, “Escape from Mogadishu”
- Spain, “The Good Boss”
- Sweden, “Tigers”
- Switzerland, “Olga”
- Taiwan, “The Falls”
- Thailand, “The Medium”
- Tunisia, “Golden Butterfly”
- Turkey, “Commitment Hasan”
- Ukraine, “Bad Roads”
- United Kingdom, “Dying to Divorce”
- Uruguay, “The Broken Glass Theory”
- Uzbekistan, “2000 Songs of Farida”
- Venezuela, “The Inner Glow”
- Vietnam, “Dad, I’m Sorry
The best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards was Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round” from Denmark, the country’s fourth win in the category. “Another Round” was the thirteenth nomination for Denmark. It won back-to-back Oscars for “Babette’s Feast” (1987) and “Pelle the Conqueror” (1988), and won again for “In a Better World (2010)”. Other nominations were for Qivitoq (1956), Paw (1959), Harry and the Butler (1961), Waltzing Regitze (1989), After the Wedding (2006), A Royal Affair (2012), The Hunt (2013), A War (2015) and Land of Mine (2016).
The five nominated films for the 93rd Academy Awards were:
- “Another Round” Denmark, Directed by Thomas Vinterberg
- “Better Days” Hong Kong, Directed by Derek Kwok-cheung Tsang
- “Collective” Romania, Directed by Alexander Nanau
- “The Man Who Sold His Skin” Tunisia, Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
- “Quo Vadis, Aida?” Bosnia and Herzegovina, Directed by Jasmila Žbanić
Since 2020, the Foreign Language Film category name has been changed to International Feature Film.
An International Festure Film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the United States of America with a predominantly non-English dialogue track. Animated and documentary feature films are permitted.
International Festure Film nominations are determined in two phases:
- The Phase I All eligible Academy members are invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting. Film submissions are made available through the Academy Screening Room streaming platform to those members who opt-in. These members of the International Feature Film Preliminary Voting committee must still meet a minimum viewing requirement in order to be eligible to vote in the category.This committee will make seven choices, that are augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s International Feature Film Award Executive Committee, to constitute the shortlist.
- The Phase II the International Feature Film Award Committee views the ten shortlisted films and votes by secret ballot to determine the category’s five nominees.
- Final voting for the International Feature Film Award is restricted to active and life Academy members who have viewed all five motion pictures nominated for the award.
“We have noted that the reference to ‘Foreign’ is outdated within the global filmmaking community,” commented on the name change Larry Karaszewski and Diane Weyermann, co-chairs of the International Feature Film Committee. “We believe that International Feature Film better represents this category, and promotes a positive and inclusive view of filmmaking, and the art of film as a universal experience.”
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