The '
Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Language Film' is a yearly US award for the best film in a language other than English, released in the period October - September in the country of origin.
[1] It is awarded to the director of the film, but is considered an Award for the country of origin.
Each year in each country a jury in that country can select the best non-English film of that country they may submit to the Academy. These form the so-called longlist. Five of these are nominated. One of them wins. Below, the winning film is preceded by its country's flag and the four non-winning nominated films are listed after it.
The '
79th Academy Awards' ceremony, honoring the
best in film for 2006, was held on
February 25,
2007 at the
Kodak Theatre in
Hollywood, California.
As an Honorary Award
★ 1947 ''
Shoeshine'' (''Sciuscià'') (
Italy) - Societa Co-operativa Alfa Cinematografica -
Paolo William Tamburella producer -
Vittorio De Sica director
★ 1948 ''
Monsieur Vincent'' (
France) - E. D. I. C., Union Général Cinématographique -
George de la Grandiere producer -
Maurice Cloche director
★ 1949 ''
The Bicycle Thief'' (''Ladri di biciclette'') (
Italy) - Mayer -
Vittorio De Sica producer and director
★ 1950 ''
The Walls of Malapaga'' (''Au delà des grilles'') (
France/
Italy) - Francinex, Italia Produzione -
George Agliani and
Alfredo Guarini producers -
René Clément director
★ 1951 ''
Rashomon'' (羅生門) (
Japan) -
Daiei Motion Picture Co., Daiei Studios -
Minoru Jingo producer -
Akira Kurosawa director
★ 1952 ''
Forbidden Games'' (''Jeux interdits'') (
France) - Silver Films -
Robert Dorfmann producer -
René Clément director
★ 1953 none given
★ 1954 ''
Gate of Hell'' (地獄門; ''Jigokumon'') (
Japan) -
Daiei Studios -
Masaichi Nagata producer -
Teinosuke Kinugasa director
★ 1955 '' (宮本 武蔵; ''Miyamoto Musashi'') (
Japan) - Criterion Pictures Corp., Fine Arts Films -
Kazuo Takimura producer -
Hiroshi Inagaki director
As a category in its own right
1950s
★ 1956 '''
La strada''' (
Italy) - Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica -
Dino De Laurentiis and
Carlo Ponti producers -
Federico Fellini director
★
★ ''
The Captain of Köpenick'' (''
Der Hauptmann von Köpenick'') (
Germany) - Real-Film GmbH -
Gyula Trebitsch producer -
Helmut Käutner director
★
★ ''
Gervaise'' (
France) - Agnes Delahaie Productions, C. I. C. C. Films, Silver Films -
Annie Dorfmann producer -
René Clément director
★
★ ''
The Burmese Harp'' (ビルマの竪琴; ''Biruma no tategoto'') (
Japan) -
Nikkatsu Corporation -
Masayuki Takaki producer -
Kon Ichikawa director
★
★ ''
Qivitoq'' (
Denmark -
Greenland Inuit) - Nordisk film -
Erik Balling director; film proposed by
Denmark
★ 1957 '''
Nights of Cabiria''' (''Le notti di Cabiria'') (
Italy) - Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica, Les Films Marceau -
Dino De Laurentiis producer -
Federico Fellini director
★
★ ''
The Devil Came at Night'' (''Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam'') (
Germany) - Divina-Film -
Robert Siodmak producer and director
★
★ ''
Gates of Paris'' (''Porte des Lilas'') (
France) - Cinétel, Filmsonor, Rizzoli Film, S.E.C.A. -
René Clair producer and director
★
★ ''
Mother India'' (''Bharat Mata'') (
India-
Hindi) - Mehboob Productions -
Mehboob Khan producer and director
★
★ ''
Nine Lives'' (''Ni liv'') (
Norway) - Nordsjøfilm -
Arne Skouen producer and director
★ 1958 '''
My Uncle''' (''Mon Oncle'') (
France) - Alter, Centauro, Gray, Specta -
Louis Dolivet,
Fred Orain,
Alain Terrouane,
Jacques Tati producers, Jacques Tati director.
★
★ ''
Arms and the Man'' (''Helden'') (
Germany) - Bavaria Filmkunst -
Peter Golbaum and
Harry R. Sokal producers -
Franz Peter Wirth director.
★
★ ''
Vengeance'' (''La Venganza'') (
Spain) - Guion, Suevia, Vides -
Juan Antonio Bardem director
★
★ ''
The Road a Year Long'' (La Strada lunga un anno) (
Yugoslavia/
Italy -
Italian) - Croatia Film, Jadran Film -
Ivo Vrhovec production manager -
Giuseppe De Santis director; film proposed by
Yugoslavia
★
★ ''
The Usual Unidentified Thieves'' (also known as ''
Big Deal on Madonna Street'') (''I soliti ignoti'') (
Italy) - Cinecittr, Lux, Vides -
Franco Cristaldi producer -
Mario Monicelli director
★ 1959 '''
Black Orpheus''' (''Orfeu Negro'') (submitted by
France co-produced with
Brazil and
Italy -
Portuguese) - Dispat Films, Gemma, Tupan -
Sacha Gordine producer -
Marcel Camus director; film proposed by
France
★
★ ''
The Bridge'' (''Die Brücke'') (
Germany) - Fono Film -
Hermann Schwerin producer -
Bernhard Wicki director
★
★ ''
The Great War'' (''La Grande Guerra'') (
Italy) - Dino de Laurentiis Cinematographica, Lopert Pictures Corp. -
Dino de Laurentiis producer -
Mario Monicelli director
★
★ ''
Paw'' (
Denmark) - Laterna Film -
Mogens Skot-Hansen producer -
Astrid Henning-Jensen director
★
★ ''
The Village on the River'' (''Dorp aan de rivier'') (
Netherlands) - Nationale Film Productie Maatschappij -
Fons Rademakers director
1960s
★ 1960 '''
The Virgin Spring''' (''Jungfrukällan'') (
Sweden) - Svensk Filmindustri -
Ingmar Bergman,
Allan Ekelund producers -
Ingmar Bergman director
★
★ ''
Kapo'' (''Kapò'') (
Italy) - Cineriz, Francinex, Vides, Zebra Films -
Moris Ergas producer -
Gillo Pontecorvo director
★
★ ''
The Truth'' (''La Verité'') (
France) -
Raoul Lévy producer -
Henri-Georges Clouzot director
★
★ ''
Macario'' (
Mexico) - Clasa Film Mundiales -
Armando Orive Alba producer -
Roberto Gavaldón director
★
★ ''
The Ninth Circle'' (''Deveti krug'') (
Yugoslavia) - Jadran Film -
France Stiglic director
★ 1961 '''
Through a Glass Darkly''' - (''Såsom i en spegel'') (
Sweden) - Svensk Filmindustri -
Allan Ekelund producer -
Ingmar Bergman director
★
★ ''
Harry and the Butler'' (''Harry og kammertjeneren'')(
Denmark) - production company -
Bent Christensen,
Preben Philipsen producers - Bent Christensen director
★
★ ''
Immortal Love'' (永遠の人; ''Eien no hito'') (
Japan) -
Shochiku Films -
Keisuke Kinoshita,
Sennosuke Tsukimori producers - Keisuke Kinoshita director
★
★ ''
The Important Man'' (''Ánimas Trujano'') (
Mexico) - ARS, Películas Rodríguez, UNA -
Ismael Rodríguez producer and director
★
★ ''
Plácido'' (
Spain) - Jet Films -
Alfredo Matas producer -
Luis García Berlanga
★ 1962 '''
Sundays and Cybele''' (''Les dimanches de ville d'Avray'') (
France) - Fidès, Les Films Trocadero, Orsay Films, Terra Film -
Romain Pinès producer -
Serge Bourguignon director
★
★ ''
Electra'' (''Ilektra'') (
Greece) - Finos Film, JN Film -
Michael Cacoyannis producer and director
★
★ ''
The Keeper of Promises'' also known as ''The Given Word'' (''
O Pagador de Promessas'') (
Brazil) - Cinedistri, Produções Francisco de Castro -
Francisco de Castro,
Anselmo Duarte,
Oswaldo Massaini producers - Anselmo Duarte director
★
★ ''
The Four Days of Naples'' (''Le quattro giornate di Napoli'') (
Italy) - Metro, Titanus -
Goffredo Lombardo producer -
Nanni Loy director
★
★ ''
The Pearl of Tlayucan'' (''Tlayucan'') (
Mexico) - production Co. and producer -
Luis Alcoriza director
★ 1963 '''
8½''' (''Otto e mezzo'') (
Italy) - Cineriz, Francinez -
Angelo Rizzoli producer -
Federico Fellini director
★
★ ''
Knife in the Water'' (''Nóż w wodzie'') (
Poland) - ZRF "Kamera" -
Stanisław Zylewicz -
Roman Polański director
★
★ ''
Los Tarantos'' (
Spain) - Films Rovira Beleta, Tecisa, Teresa -
José Gutiérrez Mendoza,
Francisco Rovira Beleta producers - Francisco Rovira Beleta director
★
★ ''
The Red Lanterns'' (''Ta kokkina fanaria'') (
Greece) - Th. Demaskinos & V. Michaelides -
Theophanis A. Demaskinos,
Victor G. Michaelides producers -
Vassilis Georgiadis director
★
★ ''
Twin Sisters of Kyoto'' (古都; ''Koto'') (
Japan) -
Shochiku Films Ltd. -
Tyotaro Kyuwata producer -
Noboru Nakamura director
★ 1964 '''
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow''' (''Ieri, oggi, domani'') (
Italy) - Compagna Cinematografica Champion, Les Films Concordia -
Carlo Ponti producer -
Vittorio De Sica director
★
★ ''
Raven's End'' (''Kvarteret korpen'') (
Sweden) - Europa Film - producer -
Bo Widerberg director
★
★ ''
Sallah Shabbati'' (''סאלח שבתי'') (
Israel) - Sallah Company, Sallah Ltd. -
Menahem Golan producer -
Ephraim Kishon director
★
★ ''
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (''Les parapluies de Cherbourg'') (
France) - Beta Film GmbH, Madeleine Films, Parc Film -
Mag Bodard,
Philippe Dussart producers -
Jacques Demy director
★
★ ''
Woman in the Dunes'' (砂の女; ''Suna no onna'') (
Japan) - Teshigahara Productions,
Toho -
Kiichi Ichikawa,
Tadashi Oono producers -
Hiroshi Teshigahara director
★ 1965 '''
The Shop on Main Street''' (''Obchod na korze'') (
Czechoslovakia) -
Barrandov Studios -
Frank Daniel,
Jordan Balurov,
M. Broz,
Karel Feix,
Jaromir Lukas producers -
Ján Kadár,
Elmar Klos directors
★
★ ''
Blood on the Land'' (''To homa vaftike kokkino'')(
Greece) - Finos Film, Th. Demaskinos & V. Michaelides -
Vassilis Georgiadis director
★
★ ''
Dear John'' (''Käre John'') (
Sweden) - Filmhus Ateljeerna, Sandrews -
Göran Lindgren producer -
Lars-Magnus Lindgren director
★
★ ''
Kwaidan'' (also known as ''Ghost Story'', ''
Hoichi the Earless'', ''Weird Tales'') (怪談; ''Kaidan'') (
Japan) - Bungei, Ninjin Club -
Shigeru Wakatsuki producer -
Masaki Kobayashi director
★
★ ''
Marriage Italian Style'' (''Matrimonio all'Italiana'') (
Italy) - Compagna Cinematografica Champion, Les Films Concordia -
Carlo Ponti producer -
Vittorio De Sica director
★ 1966 '''
A Man and a Woman''' (''Un homme et une femme'') (
France) - Les Films 13 -
Claude Lelouch producer and director
★
★ ''
The Battle of Algiers'' - (''La Battaglia di Algeri'') (''Maarakat madinat al Jazaer'') (
Algeria/
Italy) - Casbah, Igor Film -
Antonio Musu,
Saadi Yacef producers -
Gillo Pontecorvo director; film proposed by
Italy
★
★ ''
Pharaoh'' (''Faraon'') (
Poland) - Film Polski Film Agency, WFF Łódź, ZRF "Kadr" - producer -
Jerzy Kawalerowicz director
★
★ ''
Loves of a Blonde'' (''Lásky jedné plavovlásky'') (
Czechoslovakia) - CBK,
Barrandov Studios, Sebor -
Rudolf Hájek producer -
Miloš Forman director
★
★ ''
Three'' (''Tri'') (
Yugoslavia) - Avala Film - producer -
Aleksandar Petrovic director
★ 1967 '''
Closely Watched Trains''' (''Ostře sledované vlaky'') (
Czechoslovakia) -
Barrandov Studios -
Zdenek Oves producer -
Jiri Menzel director
★
★ ''
El Amor Brujo'' (
Spain) - Exclusivas Floralva Producción, Films Rovira Beleta - Producer -
Francisco Rovira Beleta director
★
★ ''
Portrait of Chieko'' (智恵子抄; ''Chieko-sho'') (
Japan) -
Shochiku Films - producer -
Noboru Nakamura director
★
★ ''
I Even Met Happy Gypsies'' (''Skupljaci perja'') (
Yugoslavia) - Avala Film - producer -
Aleksandar Petrovic director
★
★ ''
Live for life'' (''Vivre pour vivre'') (
France) - Les Films Ariane, Le Productions Artistes Associés, Vides -
Robert Amon,
Georges Danciger,
Alexandre Mnouchkine producers -
Claude Lelouch director
★ 1968 '''
War and Peace''' (''Война и мир'') (
USSR) -
Mosfilm - producer -
Sergei Bondarchuk director
★
★ ''
Stolen Kisses'' (''Baisers volés'') (
France) - Les Films du Carosse, Les Productions Artistes Associés -
Marcel Berbert producer -
François Truffaut director
★
★ ''
The Firemen's Ball'' (''Hoří, má panenko'') (
Czechoslovakia) (in
Czech) - Carlo Ponti Cinematografica,
Barrandov Studios -
Rudolf Hájek,
Carlo Ponti producers -
Miloš Forman director
★
★ ''
The Boys of Paul Street'' (''A Pál utcai fiúk'') (
Hungary) - Groskopf, Mafilm -
Endre Bohem producer -
Zoltán Fábri director
★
★ ''
Girl with a Pistol'' - (''La ragazza con la pistola'') (
Italy) - Documento Films -
Gianni Hecht Lucari producer -
Mario Monicelli director
★ 1969 '''
Z''' (
Algeria) (in
French) - Office National pour le Commerce et l'Industrie Cinématographique, Reggane Films, Valoria Films -
Jacques Perrin,
Ahmed Rachedi producers -
Costa-Gavras director
★
★ ''
The Battle of Neretva'' (''Bitka na Neretvi'') (
Yugoslavia) - Bosna Film, Commonwealth United Entertainment, Echberg, Film Production Organisation, IFC International, Igor Film, Jadran Film, United Yugoslavia Producers, Vereinigte, Yugoslavia Film -
Steve Previn producer -
Veljko Bulajic director
★
★ ''
The Brothers Karamazov'' (''Братья Карамазовы'') (
USSR) -
Mosfilm - producer -
Ivan Pyryev director,
Kirill Lavrov and
Mikhail Ulyanov co-directors
★
★ ''
My Night at Maud's'' (''Ma nuit chez Maud'') (
France) - FFD, Films de Pléïade, Les Films des deux mondes, Les Films du Carrosse, Les Films du Losange, Productions de La Guéville, Renn Productions, Simar Films, Société Française de Production (SFP), Two World Entertainment -
Pierre Cottrell,
Barbet Schroeder producers -
Éric Rohmer director
★
★ ''
Adalen Riots'' (''Ådalen '31'') (
Sweden) - Svensk Filmindustri (SF) AB - producer -
Bo Widerberg director
1970s
★ 1970 '''
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion''' (''Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto'') (
Italy) - Vera Films -
Daniele Senatore producer -
Elio Petri director
★
★ ''
First Love'' (''Erste Liebe'') (
Switzerland) (in
German) - Alfa Film, Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, Glarus, Mafilm -
Barry Levinson,
Maximilian Schell producers - Maximilian Schell director
★
★ ''
Hoa-Binh'' (
France) - C.A.P.A.C., La Guéville, Madeleine Films, Parc Film -
Gilbert de Goldschmidt producer -
Raoul Coutard director
★
★ ''
Peace in the Fields'' - (''Paix sur les champs'') (
Belgium) (in
French) - E. G. C. -
Jacques de Pauw producer -
Jacques Boigelot director
★
★ ''
Tristana'' (
Spain) - Les Films Corona, Selenia Cinematografica, Talía Films, Época Films S.A. -
Luis Buñuel,
Robert Dorfmann producers - Luis Buñuel director
★ 1971 '''
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis''' (''Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini'') (
Italy) - CCC Filmkunst GmbH, Documento Films -
Artur Brauner,
Arthur Cohn,
Gianni Hecht Lucari producers -
Vittorio De Sica director
★
★ ''
Tchaikovsky'' (''Chaikovsky'') (''Чайковский'') (
USSR) -
Mosfilm - producer -
Igor Talankin director
★
★ ''
Clickety-Clack'' (どですかでん; ''Dodesukaden'') (
Japan) -
Toho, Yonki no Kai -
Kon Ichikawa,
Keisuke Kinoshita,
Masaki Kobayashi,
Akira Kurosawa,
Yoishi Matsue producers - Akira Kurosawa director
★
★ ''
The Policeman'' (''השוטר אזולאי'') (
Israel) - EFI Ltd., EPNI Films, Israel Motion Picture Studios -
Ephraim Kishon,
Itzik Kol producers -
Ephraim Kishon director
★
★ ''
The Emigrants'' (''Utvandrarna'') (
Sweden) - Svensk Filmindustri (SF) AB, Warner Bros. -
Bengt Forslund producer -
Jan Troell director
★ 1972 '''
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie''' (''Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie'') (
France) - Dean Film, Greenwich Film Productions, Jet Films S. A, -
Serge Silberman producer -
Luis Buñuel director
★
★ ''
The Dawns Here Are Quiet'' (''А зори здесь тихие'') (
USSR) - Gorky Film Studios - producer -
Stanislav Rostotsky director
★
★ ''
I Love You Rosa'' - (''אני אוהב אותך רוזה'') (
Israel) - Leisure Media, Noah Films -
Menahem Golan producer -
Moshé Mizrahi director
★
★ ''
My Dearest Senorita'' - (''Mi querida señorita'') (
Spain) - El Imàn Cine y Televisión S. A., In-Cine Compañía Industrial Cinematográfica S. A. -
Luis Megino producer -
Jaime de Armiñán director
★
★ ''
The New Land'' (''Nybyggarna'') (
Sweden) - Svensk Filmindustri (SF) AB -
Bengt Forslund producer -
Jan Troell director
★ 1973 '''
Day for Night''' (''La Nuit américaine'') (
France) - Les Films du Carrosse, PECF, PIC -
Marcel Berbert producer -
François Truffaut
★
★ ''
The House on Chelouche Street'' (''הבית ברחוב שלוש'') (
Israel) - Noah Films -
Menahem Golan producer -
Moshé Mizrahi director
★
★ ''
The Pedestrian'' (''Der Fußgänger'') (
Germany) - Alfa Glaurus, Braun, Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, MFG-Film -
Zev Braun,
Maximilian Schell producers - Maximilian Schell director
★
★ ''
The Invitation'' (''L'Invitation'') (
Switzerland) (in
French) - Citel Films, Group 5, Planfilm, Romande - producer -
Claude Goretta director
★
★ ''
Turkish Delight'' (''Turks fruit'') (
Netherlands) - Verenigde Nederlandsche Filmcompagnie (VNF) -
Rob Houwer producer -
Paul Verhoeven director
★ 1974 '''
Amarcord''' (Italy) - F. C. Productions, PECF. -
Franco Cristaldi producer -
Federico Fellini director
★
★ ''
Lacombe Lucien'' (France) - Hallelujah Films, Nouvelles Éditions de Films, UPF (Universal Pictures France), Vides-Film -
Louis Malle,
Claude Nedjar producers - Louis Malle director
★
★ ''
Cat's Play'' (''Macskajáték'') (
Hungary) - Hunnia Játékfilmstúdió - producer -
Károly Makk director
★
★ ''
The Deluge'' (''Potop'') (
Poland) - Film Polski - producer -
Jerzy Hoffman director
★
★ ''
The Truce'' (''La Tregua'') (
Argentina) - production Co. -
Rene Aure,
Tita Tamames,
Rosa Zemborain producers -
Sergio Renán director
★ '''
Dersu Uzala''' by
Akira Kurosawa •
USSR
★
★ ''
Letters from Marusia (Actas de Marusia)'' by
Miguel Littin •
Mexico
★
★ ''
Scent of a Woman (Profumo di donna)'' by
Dino Risi •
Italy
★
★ ''
Sandakan 8 (Sandakan hachibanshokan bohkyo)'' by
Kei Kumai •
Japan
★
★ ''
Land of Promise (Ziemia obiecana)'' by
Andrzej Wajda •
Poland
★ '''
Black and White in Color (Noir et blancs en couleur)''' by
Jean-Jacques Annaud •
Côte d'Ivoire
★
★ ''
Cousin, Cousine'' by
Jean Charles Tacchella •
France
★
★ ''
Jacob the Liar (Jakob, der Lügner)'' by
Frank Beyer •
German Democratic Republic
★
★ ''
Night and Days (Noce i dnie)'' by
Jerzy Antczak •
Poland
★
★ ''
Seven Beauties (Pasqualino Settebellezze)'' by
Lina Wertmüller •
Italy
★ '''
Madame Rosa (La vie devant soi)''' by
Moshé Mizrahi •
France
★
★ ''
That Obscure Object of Desire (Cet obscur objet du désir)'' by
Luis Buñuel •
Spain
★
★ ''
The Great Day (Una giornata particolare)'' by
Ettore Scola •
Italy
★
★ ''
Iphigenia'' by
Michael Cacoyannis •
Greece
★
★ ''
Entebbe, Operation Thunderbolt (Mivtsa Yonatan)'' by
Menahem Golan •
Israel
★ '''
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (Préparez vos mouchoirs)''' by
Bertrand Blier •
France
★
★ ''
White Bim Black Ear (Belyi bim - Chyornoye ukho)'' by
Stanislav Rostotsky •
USSR
★
★ ''
The Glass Cell (Die Gläsene Zelle)'' by
Hans W. Geissendörfer •
Federal Republic of Germany
★
★ ''
Hungarians (Magyarok)'' by
Zoltán Fábri •
Hungary
★
★ ''
Viva Italia! (I Nuovi mostri)'' by
Mario Monicelli,
Dino Risi and
Ettore Scola •
Italy
★ '''
The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel)''' by
Volker Schlöndorff •
Federal Republic of Germany
★
★ ''
To Forget Venice (Dementicare Venezia)'' by
Franco Brusati •
Italy
★
★ ''
Mama Turns a Hundred (Mamá cumple cien años)'' by
Carlos Saura •
Spain
★
★ ''
The Maids of Wilko (Panny z Wilka)'' by
Andrzej Wajda •
Poland
★
★ ''
A Simple Story (Une histoire simple)'' by
Claude Sautet •
France
1980s
★ '''
Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears (Moskva slezam ne verit)''' by
Vladimir Menshov •
USSR
★
★ ''
Confidence (Bizalom)'' by
István Szabó •
Hungary
★
★ ''
The Last Metro (Le dernier métro)'' by
François Truffaut •
France
★
★ ''
Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)'' by
Akira Kurosawa •
Japan
★
★ ''
The Nest (El nido)'' by
Jaime de Armiñán •
Spain
★ '''
Mephisto''' by
István Szabó •
Hungary
★
★ ''
The Boat is Full (Das Boot ist voll)'' by
Markus Imhoof •
Switzerland (in
German)
★
★ ''
Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza)'' by
Andrzej Wajda •
Poland
★
★ ''
Muddy River (Doro no kawa)'' by
Kôhei Oguri •
Japan
★
★ ''
Tre fratelli (Three Brothers)'' by
Francesco Rosi •
Italy
★ '''
Begin the Beguine (Volver a empezar)''' by
José Luis Garci •
Spain
★
★ ''
Elsino and the Condor (Alsino y el cóndor)'' by
Miguel Littin •
Nicaragua
★
★ ''
Private Life (Chastnaya zhizn)'' by
Yuli Raisman •
USSR
★
★ ''
Clean Slate (Coup de Torchon)'' by
Bertrand Tavernier •
France
★
★ ''
The Flight of the Eagle (Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd)'' by
Jan Troell •
Sweden
★ '''
Fanny and Alexander (Fanny och Alexander)''' by
Ingmar Bergman •
Sweden
★
★ ''
Le Bal'' by
Ettore Scola •
Algeria
★
★ ''
Carmen'' by
Carlos Saura •
Spain
★
★ ''
At First Sight (Coup de foudre)'' by
Diane Kurys •
France
★
★ ''
The Revolt of Job (Jób lázadása)'' by
Imre Gyöngyössy and
Barna Kabay •
Hungary
★ '''
Dangerous Moves (La diagonale du fou)''' by
Richard Dembo •
Switzerland (in
French)
★
★ ''
Camila'' by
María Luisa Bemberg •
Argentina
★
★ ''
Beyond the Law (Me'Ahorei Hasoragim)'' by
Uri Barbash and
Rudy Cohen •
Israel
★
★ ''
Double Feature (Sessión continua)'' by
José Luis Garci •
Spain
★
★ ''
War-time Romance (Военно-полевой роман)'' by
Pyotr Todorovsky •
USSR
★ '''
The Official Story (La historia oficial)''' by
Luis Puenzo •
Argentina
★
★ ''
Three Men and a Cradle (Trois hommes et un couffin)'' by
Coline Serreau •
France
★
★ ''
Angry Harvest (Bittere Ernte)'' by
Agnieszka Holland •
Federal Republic of Germany
★
★ ''
Colonel Redl (Oberst Redl)'' by
István Szabó •
Hungary
★
★ ''
When Father Was Away on Business (Otac na sluzbenom putu)'' by
Emir Kusturica •
Yugoslavia (in
Serbo-Croatian)
★ '''
The Assault (De aanslag)''' by
Fons Rademakers •
Netherlands
★
★ ''
38 - Vienna Before the Fall ('38)'' by
Wolfgang Glück •
Austria
★
★ ''
37.2 Degrees in the Morning (37º2 le matin)'' by
Jean-Jacques Beineix •
France
★
★ ''
The Decline of the American Empire (Le déclin de l'empire américain)'' by
Denys Arcand •
Canada (in
French)
★
★ ''
My Sweet Little Village (Vesničko má středisková)'' by
Jirí Menze •
Czechoslovakia (in
Czech)
★ '''
Babette's Feast (Babettes gæstebud)''' by
Gabriel Axel •
Denmark
★
★ ''
Course Completed (Asignatura aprobada)'' by
José Luis Garci •
Spain
★
★ ''
Goodbye Children (Au revoir les enfants)'' by
Louis Malle •
France
★
★ ''
The Family (La famiglia)'' by
Ettore Scola •
Italy
★
★ ''
The Pathfinder (Ofelaš)'' by
Nils Gaup •
Norway (in
Saami)
★ '''
Pelle the Conqueror (Pelle Erobreren)''' by
Bille August •
Denmark
★
★ ''
Hanussen'' by
Istvan Szabo •
Hungary
★
★ ''
The Music Teacher (Le Maître de Musique)'' by
Gérard Corbiau •
Belgium (in
French)
★
★ ''
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios)'' by
Pedro Almodovar •
Spain
★
★ ''
Salaam Bombay!'' by
Mira Nair •
India (in
Hindi and
English)
★ '''
Cinema Paradiso (Nuovo Cinema Paradiso)''' by
Giuseppe Tornatore •
Italy
★
★ ''
Camille Claudel'' by
Bruno Nuytten •
France
★
★ ''
Memories of a Marriage (Dansen med Regitze)'' by
Kaspar Rostrup •
Denmark
★
★ ''
Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal)'' by
Denys Arcand •
Canada (in
French)
★
★ ''
Santiago, the Story of his New Life (Lo que le pasó a Santiago)'' by
Jacobo Morales •
Puerto Rico
1990s
★ '''
Journey of Hope (Reise der Hoffnung)''' by
Xavier Koller •
Switzerland (in
German and
Turkish)
★
★ ''
Cyrano de Bergerac'' by
Jean-Paul Rappenau •
France
★
★ ''
Ju Dou(菊豆)'' by
Yang Fengliang and
Yimou Zhang •
China
★
★ ''
Open Doors (Porte aperte)'' by
Gianni Amelio •
Italy
★
★ ''
The Nasty Girl (Das Schreckliche Mädchen)'' by
Michael Verhoeven •
Germany
★ '''
Mediterraneo''' by
Gabriele Salvatores •
Italy
★
★ ''
Children of Nature (Börn náttúrunnar)'' by
Friðrik Þor Friðriksson •
Iceland
★
★ ''
Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua 大紅燈籠高高掛)'' by
Yimou Zhang •
Hong Kong (in
Mandarin)
★
★ ''
The Elementary School (Obecná škola)'' by
Jan Svěrák •
Czechoslovakia (in
Czech)
★
★ ''
The Ox (Oxen)'' by
Sven Nykvist •
Sweden
★ '''
Indochine''' by
Regis Wargnier •
France
★
★ ''
Daens'' by
Stijn Coninx •
Belgium (in
Dutch,
Latin and
French)
★
★ ''
A Place in the World (Un lugar en el mundo)'' by
Adolfo Aristarain •
Uruguay
★
★
★ Note: After nominations were announced, information came to light that showed that this film was wholly produced in Argentina, and had insufficient Uruguayan artistic control. The film was declared ineligible and removed from the final ballot.
★
★ ''
Schtonk!'' by
Helmut Dietl •
Germany
★
★ ''
Urga (Close to Eden)'' by
Nikita Mikhalkov •
USSR (in
Mongolian,
Russian and
Mandarin)
★ '''
Belle Époque (The Age of Beauty)''' by
Fernando Trueba •
Spain
★
★ ''
Farewell My Concubine (Ba wang bie ji 霸王別姬)'' by
Kaige Chen •
Hong Kong (in
Mandarin)
★
★ ''
Hedd Wyn'' by
Paul Turner •
United Kingdom (in
Welsh and
English)
★
★ ''
The Wedding Banquet (Hsi yen) (喜宴)'' by
Ang Lee •
Taiwan (in
Mandarin and
English)
★
★ ''
The Scent of Green Papaya (Mùi đu đủ xanh)'' by
Anh Hung Tran •
Vietnam
★ '''
Burnt by the Sun (Utomlyonnye solntsem)''' by
Nikita Mikhalkov •
Russia
★
★ ''
Before the Rain (Pred doždot)'' by
Milčo Mančevski •
Republic of Macedonia (in
Macedonian,
English and
Albanian)
★
★ ''
Farinelli the Castrato (Farinelli il castrato)'' by
Gérard Corbiau •
Belgium (in
French and
Italian)
★
★ ''
Strawberry and Chocolate (Fresa y chocolate)'' by
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and
Juan Carlos Tabío •
Cuba
★
★ ''
Eat Drink Man Woman (Yin shi nan nu 飲食男女)'' by
Ang Lee •
Taiwan
★ '''
Antonia's Line (Antonia)''' by
Marleen Gorris •
Netherlands
★
★ ''
All Things Fair (Lust och fägring stor)'' by
Bo Widerberg •
Sweden
★
★ ''
Dust of Life (Poussières de vie)'' by
Rachid Bouchareb •
Algeria
★
★ ''
O Quatrilho'' by
Fábio Barreto •
Brazil
★
★ ''
The Star Maker (L'Uomo delle stelle)'' by
Giuseppe Tornatore •
Italy
★ '''
Kolya (Kolja)''' by
Jan Svěrák •
Czech Republic
★
★ ''
Prisoner of the Mountains (Kavkazkij plennik)'' by
Sergei Bodrov •
Russia
★
★ ''
A Chef in Love (Shekvarebuli kulinaris ataserti retsepti)'' by
Nana Dzhordzhadze •
Georgia (in
French,
Georgian and
Russian)
★
★ ''
Ridicule'' by
Patrice Leconte •
France
★
★ ''
The Other Side of Sunday (Søndagsengler)'' by
Berit Nesheim •
Norway
★ '''
Character (Karakter)''' by
Mike van Diem •
Netherlands
★
★ ''
Beyond Silence (Jenseits der Stille)'' by
Caroline Link •
Germany
★
★ ''
Four Days in September (O que é isso, companheiro)'' by
Bruno Barreto •
Brazil
★
★ ''
Secrets of the Heart (Secretos del corazón)'' by
Montxo Armendáriz •
Spain
★
★ ''
The Thief (Vor)'' by
Pavel Chukhrai •
Russia
★ '''
Life Is Beautiful (La vita è bella)''' by
Roberto Benigni •
Italy
★
★ ''
The Grandfather (El abuelo)'' by
José Luis Garci •
Spain
★
★ ''
Children of Heaven (Bacheha-ye aseman)'' by
Majid Majidi •
Iran
★
★ ''
Central Station (Central do Brasil)'' by
Walter Salles •
Brazil
★
★ ''
Tango'' by
Carlos Saura •
Argentina
★ '''
All About My Mother (Todo sobre mi madre)''' by
Pedro Almodóvar •
Spain
★
★ ''
East-West (Est-Ouest)'' by
Régis Wargnier •
France
★
★ ''
Himalaya (Himalaya - l'enfance d'un chef)'' by
Eric Valli •
Nepal in
Tibetan
★
★ ''
Solomon and Gaenor'' by
Paul Morrisson •
United Kingdom in
English,
Welsh and
Yiddish
★
★ ''
Under the Sun (Under solen)'' by
Colin Nutley •
Sweden
2000s
★ '''
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long 臥虎藏龍)''' by
Ang Lee •
Taiwan
★
★ ''
Love's a Bitch (Amores Perros)'' by
Alejandro González Iñárritu •
Mexico
★
★ ''
The Taste of Others (Le goût des autres)'' by
Agnès Jaoui •
France
★
★ ''
Everybody Famous! (Iedereen beroemd!)'' by
Dominique Deruddere •
Belgium (in
Dutch)
★
★ ''
Divided We Fall (Musíme si pomáhat)'' by
Jan Hřebejk •
Czech Republic
★ '''
No Man's Land''' by
Danis Tanovic •
Bosnia and Herzegovina (in
Bosnian)
★
★ ''
Elling (Me, My Friend and I)'' by
Petter Naess •
Norway
★
★ ''
Amélie (Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain)'' by
Jean-Pierre Jeunet •
France
★
★ ''
Son of the Bride (El hijo de la novia)'' by
Juan José Campanella •
Argentina
★
★ ''
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India'' by
Ashutosh Gowariker •
India (in
Hindi,
English and
Bhojpuri)
★ '''
Nowhere in Africa (Nirgendwo in Afrika)''' by
Caroline Link •
Germany
★
★ ''
The Crime of Father Amaro (El crimen del Padre Amaro)'' by
Carlos Carrera •
Mexico
★
★ ''
The Man Without a Past (Mies vailla menneisyyttä)'' by
Aki Kaurismäki •
Finland
★
★ ''
Hero (Ying xiong 英雄)'' by
Yimou Zhang •
China
★
★ ''
Zus & zo'' by
Paula van der Oest •
Netherlands
★ '''
The Barbarian Invasions (Les invasions barbares)''' by
Denys Arcand •
Canada (in
French)
★
★ ''
Želary'' by
Ondrej Trojan •
Czech Republic
★
★ ''
The Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei)'' by
Yoji Yamada •
Japan
★
★ ''
Twin Sisters (De tweeling)'' by
Ben Sombogaart •
Netherlands
★
★ ''
Evil (Ondskan)'' by
Mikael Håfström •
Sweden
★ '''
The Sea Inside (Mar adentro)''' by
Alejandro Amenábar •
Spain
★
★ ''
As It Is in Heaven (Så som i himmelen)'' by
Kay Pollak •
Sweden
★
★ ''
The Chorus (Les choristes)'' by
Christophe Barratier •
France
★
★ ''
Downfall (Der Untergang)'' by
Oliver Hirschbiegel •
Germany
★
★ ''
Yesterday'' by
Darryll Roodt •
South Africa (in
Zulu)
★ '''
Tsotsi''' by
Gavin Hood •
South Afrika (in
Zulu,
Xhosa and
Afrikaans)
★
★ ''
Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noël)'' by
Christian Carion •
France
★
★ ''
Sophie Scholl - The Final Days (Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage)'' by
Mark Rothemund •
Germany
★
★ ''
Don't Tell (La bestia nel cuore)'' by
Cristina Comencini •
Italy
★
★ ''
Paradise Now'' by
Hany Abu-Assad •
Palestinian Authority
★ '''
The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)''' by
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck •
Germany
★
★ ''
After the Wedding (Efter brylluppet)'' by
Susanne Bier •
Denmark
★
★ ''
Days of Glory (Indigènes)'' by
Rachid Bouchareb •
Algeria (in
French and
Arabic)
★
★ ''
Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno)'' by
Guillermo del Toro •
Mexico
★
★ ''
Water'' by
Deepa Mehta •
Canada (in
Hindi)
Official National Submissions to the Academy Awards
For many years, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has invited each country to select one film to compete in the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. All of the competing films are then screened by a special committee of Academy members, who give each film a rating, with the highest-ranking films receiving nominations.
Some have complained that this "one film per country" law is unfair because prolific film-making countries (particularly France, Italy and Spain) may have several films worthy of being nominated. Others have said that the system is unfair because the nominating bodies in each respective country have often been subject to political or other influences, leading them to reject certain films for political reasons, or select films based on the connections of individual directors or studios.
Proponents of the system however argue that the system is the only way that films from smaller countries can compete. Without allowing them equal footing to major releases from established film-making countries, filmmakers from countries like Georgia, Nepal and South Africa (all of whom have been nominated recently) might have difficulty getting their films seen by Academy members.
Approximately one hundred countries have sent films to compete in this category over the years. However, only eleven countries have correctly submitted a picture every year for the past twenty years. They are: Argentina, Canada, France, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain and Taiwan. Only two countries have had a film accepted every year for the past forty years: France and Hungary.
Of those countries who have had their films accepted by the Academy more than five times, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Korea (South), Lebanon, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey and Venezuela have never been nominated in this category. Croatia, Serbia and Slovakia have never formally been nominated, but films from these republics were nominated when they were part of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Portugal holds the record for the most submissions without receiving a nomination.
Of particular note is India, the world's most prolific film-making and film-viewing country has never won an academy award, and has only been nominated three times with
Mother India,
Salaam Bombay! and
Lagaan.
Nominations and Awards by Country
| Country | Awards | Nominees |
|---|
| 10 | 27 |
| 9 | 34 |
| 4 | 19 |
| 3 | 15 |
| 3 | 14 |
| 3 | 11 |
| 3 | 10 |
| 3 | 7 |
| 2 | 7 |
 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 1 | 8 |
| 1 | 5 |
| 1 | 4 |
| 1 | 3 |
| 1 | 2 |
| 1 | 1 |
| - | 7 |
| - | 6 |
| - | 5 |
| - | 4 |
| - | 3 |
| - | 2 |
Palestinian Authority
| - | 1 |
# plus 3 Special/Honorary Awards
# 2 as
Germany, 1 as
German Federal Republic
# 6 for
Germany, 8 for
German Federal Republic, 1 for
German Democratic Republic
External links
★
Rules for 79th Awards
★
European submissions for 79th Awards, including reviews