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

Inviting curiosity Ildikó Enyedi on the value of science, perception, discovery and Silent Friend

Streaming Spotlight: the rites of Spring We shine our Beltane spotlight on films in which the old ways linger

Fighting fit for a debut feature Valéry Carnoy talks toxic masculinity, memory, confidence and Belgian 'soft-power'

Collective power We look ahead at the programme of this year's Folk Film Gathering

Writing hidden messages Arnaud Desplechin on guilt, melodrama, feeling haunted, and Two Pianos

Clever crafting with Idiots Chris Barfoot on his six-camera set up and three-day shoot of his debut feature

More news and features

We're bringing you news and reviews from the San Francisco Independent Film Festival and Queer East.



We're looking forward to Cannes.



We've recently brought you coverage of Visions du Réel, Fantaspoa, Overlook, BFI Flare and SXSW, the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, the NY Rendezvous with French Cinema, the Glasgow Film Festival, the Berlinale, Sundance and Palm Springs.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest from the spring events:


Cannes 16 titles added to line-up


Cannes Announces full jury


Cannes Directors' Fortnight selection


Cannes Payal Kapadia heads Critics' Week jury