67 Foreign Language Oscar Submissions Tops Last Year, Sets New Record

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A whopping 67 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category at the 81st Oscars, topping last year's record of 63 countries. Announcing the list today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences noted that Jordan has submitted its first entry. The nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009 and the Oscars will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

In this week's dispatch on the foreign language film race, Anthony Kaufman noted in indieWIRE that while this year's race may be one of the widest open in years, "it may also turn out to be one of the most predictable due to a radical change in Academy regulations as a result of last year's 'embarrassment', as one industry insider called it." He continued, "For the first time in the category's history, an executive committee of 20 members (from both coasts) will be able to compensate for any omissions in the first round of voting by adding three additional films to the shortlist. Therefore, one would assume, Cannes winners and critical darlings will not be overlooked and the five final nominations will offer fewer surprises."

The 2008 Foreign Language Film submissions are:

Afghanistan, "Opium War," Siddiq Barmak, director

Albania, "The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider," Piro Milkani and Eno Milkani, directors

Algeria, "Masquerades," Lyes Salem, director

Argentina, "Lion's Den," Pablo Trapero, director

Austria, "Revanche," Gotz Spielmann, director

Azerbaijan, "Fortress," Shamil Nacafzada, director

Bangladesh, "Aha!," Enamul Karim Nirjhar, director

Belgium, "Eldorado," Bouli Lanners, director

Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Snow," Aida Begic, director

Brazil, "Last Stop 174," Bruno Barreto, director

Bulgaria, "Zift," Javor Gardev, director

Canada, "The Necessities of Life," Benoit Pilon, director

Chile, "Tony Manero," Pablo Larrain, director

China, "Dream Weavers," Jun Gu, director

Colombia, "Dog Eat Dog," Carlos Moreno, director

Croatia, "No One's Son," Arsen Anton Ostojic, director

Czech Republic, "The Karamazovs," Petr Zelenka, director

Denmark, "Worlds Apart," Niels Arden Oplev, director

Egypt, "The Island," Sherif Arafa, director

Estonia, "I Was Here," Rene Vilbre, director

Finland, "The Home of Dark Butterflies," Dome Karukoski, director

France, "The Class," Laurent Cantet, director

Georgia, "Mediator," Dito Tsintsadze, director

Germany, "The Baader Meinhof Complex," Uli Edel, director

Greece, "Correction," Thanos Anastopoulos, director

Hong Kong, "Painted Skin," Gordon Chan, director

Hungary, "Iska's Journey," Csaba Bollok, director

Iceland, "White Night Wedding," Baltasar Kormakur, director

India, "Taare Zameen Par," Aamir Khan, director

Iran, "The Song of Sparrows," Majid Majidi, director

Israel, "Waltz with Bashir," Ari Folman, director

Italy, "Gomorra," Matteo Garrone, director

Japan, "Departures," Yojiro Takita, director

Jordan, "Captain Abu Raed," Amin Matalqa, director

Kazakhstan, "Tulpan," Sergey Dvortsevoy, director

Korea, "Crossing," Tae-kyun Kim, director

Kyrgyzstan, "Heavens Blue," Marie Jaoul de Poncheville, director

Latvia, "Defenders of Riga," Aigars Grauba, director

Lebanon, "Under the Bombs," Philippe Aractingi, director

Lithuania, "Loss," Maris Martinsons, director

Luxembourg, "Nuits d'Arabie," Paul Kieffer, director

Macedonia, "I'm from Titov Veles," Teona Strugar Mitevska, director

Mexico, "Tear This Heart Out," Roberto Sneider, director

Morocco, "Goodbye Mothers," Mohamed Ismail, director

The Netherlands, "Dunya & Desie," Dana Nechushtan, director

Norway, "O'Horten," Bent Hamer, director

Palestine, "Salt of This Sea" Annemarie Jacir, director

Philippines, "Ploning," Dante Nico Garcia, director

Poland, "Tricks," Andrzej Jakimowski, director

Portugal, "Our Beloved Month of August," Miguel Gomes, director

Romania, "The Rest Is Silence," Nae Caranfil, director

Russia, "Mermaid," Anna Melikyan, director

Serbia, "The Tour," Goran Markovic, director

Singapore, "My Magic," Eric Khoo, director

Slovakia, "Blind Loves," Juraj Lehotsky, director

Slovenia, "Rooster's Breakfast," Marko Nabersnik, director

South Africa, "Jerusalema," Ralph Ziman, director

Spain, "The Blind Sunflowers," Jose Luis Cuerda, director

Sweden, "Everlasting Moments," Jan Troell, director

Switzerland, "The Friend," Micha Lewinsky, director

Taiwan, "Cape No. 7," Te-Sheng Wei, director

Thailand, "Love of Siam," Chookiat Sakveerakul, director

Turkey, "3 Monkeys," Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director

Ukraine, "Illusion of Fear," Aleksandr Kiriyenko, director

United Kingdom, "Hope Eternal," Karl Francis, director

Uruguay, "Kill Them All," Esteban Schroeder, director

Venezuela, "The Color of Fame," Alejandro Bellame Palacios, director

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