OSCAR® 2016 RACE: Official Submissions from 80 Countries

LOS ANGELES, CA – Eighty countries (Note: Originally, 81 countries were in contention but the entry from Afghanistan was found to contain predominant English dialogues and was disqualified on November 16, 2015) have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Academy Awards®.  Paraguay is a first-time entrant.

The 2015 submissions are:

Afghanistan, "Utopia," Hassan Nazer, director; 

Albania, "Bota," Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors;

Algeria, "Twilight of Shadows," Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director;

Argentina, "The Clan," Pablo Trapero, director;

Australia, "Arrows of the Thunder Dragon," Greg Sneddon, director;

Austria, "Goodnight Mommy," Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;

Bangladesh, "Jalal’s Story," Abu Shahed Emon, director;

Belgium, "The Brand New Testament," Jaco Van Dormael, director;
(Read my review here: Brand New Testament)

Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Our Everyday Story," Ines Tanović, director;

Brazil, "The Second Mother," Anna Muylaert, director;

Bulgaria, "The Judgment," Stephan Komandarev, director;
(Read my review here: The Judgment)

Cambodia, "The Last Reel," Sotho Kulikar, director;

Canada, "Félix and Meira," Maxime Giroux, director;

Chile, "The Club," Pablo Larraín, director;
(Read my review here: El Club)

China, "Go Away Mr. Tumor," Han Yan, director;

Colombia, "Embrace of the Serpent," Ciro Guerra, director;

Costa Rica, "Imprisoned," Esteban Ramírez, director;

Croatia, "The High Sun," Dalibor Matanić, director;
(Read my review here: The High Sun)

Czech Republic, "Home Care," Slavek Horak, director;

Denmark, "A War," Tobias Lindholm, director;
(Read my review here: A War (Krigen))

Dominican Republic, "Sand Dollars," Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas, directors;

Estonia, "1944," Elmo Nüganen, director;

Ethiopia, "Lamb," Yared Zeleke, director;

Finland, "The Fencer," Klaus Härö, director;

France, "Mustang," Deniz Gamze Ergüven, director;

Georgia, "Moira," Levan Tutberidze, director;

Germany, "Labyrinth of Lies," Giulio Ricciarelli, director;

Greece, "Xenia," Panos H. Koutras, director;

Guatemala, "Ixcanul," Jayro Bustamante, director;
(Read my review here: Ixcanul)

Hong Kong, "To the Fore," Dante Lam, director;

Hungary, "Son of Saul," László Nemes, director;

Iceland, "Rams," Grímur Hákonarson, director;

India, "Court," Chaitanya Tamhane, director;

Iran, "Muhammad: The Messenger of God," Majid Majidi, director;

Iraq, "Memories on Stone," Shawkat Amin Korki, director;

Ireland, "Viva," Paddy Breathnach, director;
(Read my review here: Viva)

Israel, "Baba Joon," Yuval Delshad, director;

Italy, "Don't Be Bad," Claudio Caligari, director;

Ivory Coast, "Run," Philippe Lacôte, director;

Japan, "100 Yen Love," Masaharu Take, director;

Jordan, "Theeb," Naji Abu Nowar, director;
(Read my review here: Theeb (Wolf))

Kazakhstan, "Stranger," Yermek Tursunov, director;

Kosovo, "Babai," Visar Morina, director;

Kyrgyzstan, "Heavenly Nomadic," Mirlan Abdykalykov, director;

Latvia, "Modris," Juris Kursietis, director;

Lebanon, "Void," Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Haber, directors;

Lithuania, "The Summer of Sangaile," Alanté Kavaïté, director;

Luxembourg, "Baby (A)lone," Donato Rotunno, director;

Macedonia, "Honey Night," Ivo Trajkov, director;

Malaysia, "Men Who Save the World," Liew Seng Tat, director;

Mexico, "600 Miles," Gabriel Ripstein, director;

Montenegro, "You Carry Me," Ivona Juka, director;

Morocco, "Aida," Driss Mrini, director;

Nepal, "Talakjung vs Tulke," Basnet Nischal, director;

Netherlands, "The Paradise Suite," Joost van Ginkel, director;

Norway, "The Wave," Roar Uthaug, director;

Pakistan, "Moor," Jami, director;

Palestine, "The Wanted 18," Amer Shomali, Paul Cowan, directors;

Paraguay, "Cloudy Times," Arami Ullón, director;

Peru, "NN," Héctor Gálvez, director;

Philippines, "Heneral Luna," Jerrold Tarog, director;

Poland, "11 Minutes," Jerzy Skolimowski, director;

Portugal, "Arabian Nights – Volume 2, The Desolate One," Miguel Gomes, director;

Romania, "Aferim!" Radu Jude, director;
(Read my review here: Aferim!)

Russia, "Sunstroke," Nikita Mikhalkov, director;

Serbia, "Enclave," Goran Radovanović, director;

Singapore, "7 Letters," Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong, Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin, Boo Junfeng, K. Rajagopal, directors;

Slovakia, "Goat," Ivan Ostrochovský, director;

Slovenia, "The Tree," Sonja Prosenc, director;

South Africa, "The Two of Us," Ernest Nkosi, director;

South Korea, "The Throne," Lee Joon-ik, director;

Spain, "Flowers," Jon Garaño, Jose Mari Goenaga, directors;

Sweden, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence," Roy Andersson, director;
(Read my review here: Pigeon...)

Switzerland, "Iraqi Odyssey," Samir, director;

Taiwan, "The Assassin," Hou Hsiao-hsien, director;

Thailand, "How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)," Josh Kim, director;

Turkey, "Sivas," Kaan Müjdeci, director;

United Kingdom, "Under Milk Wood," Kevin Allen, director;

Uruguay, "A Moonless Night," Germán Tejeira, director;

Venezuela, "Gone with the River," Mario Crespo, director;

Vietnam, "Jackpot," Dustin Nguyen, director.


The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.