The race for the next International Feature Film Oscar has begun.
The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin) has been selected as Ireland’s entry for the at the upcoming 95th annual Academy Awards and is the first country of the 2023 Oscar season to submit for the International Feature Film Academy Award.
Based on Foster, the acclaimed story by Irish author Claire Keegan, The Quiet Girl is an intricate, deeply felt coming-of-age drama that delves into the meaning of family through the eyes of a neglected young girl. Set in rural Ireland in 1981, the film follows Cáit (Catherine Clinch) as she is sent from her overcrowded, dysfunctional household to live with distant relatives for the summer. She is welcomed with open arms by Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley), but her husband (Andrew Bennett) keeps Cáit at arm’s length. Slowly, however, a warmth grows within this makeshift family and Cáit begins to blossom in their care. But in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth.
Selected by IFTA’s 2023 Irish Selection Committee, which includes producer and Emmy-nominated actress Roma Downey (Ben-Hur, Touched by an Angel), Oscar-nominated actor John C. Reilly (Chicago, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), producer & Paramount TV EVP of International Strategy David Flynn (Bodkin, Seraphim Falls), Oscar-nominated director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In America), director Aisling Walsh (Maudie, Song for a Raggy Boy) and actress Fionnula Flanagan (The Others, The Guard). The Committee was chaired by Academy CEO, Áine Moriarty.
Colm Bairéad’s debut feature made history in Ireland recently as the first Irish language film to win the Irish Academy Award (IFTA) for Best Film. The Quiet Girl received 7 IFTAs overall including: director, actress, cinematography, editing, production design, and original score.
An international film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the United States of America and its territories with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track. Animated and documentary feature films are permitted.
A shortlist of 15 qualifying films will be announced on December 21, 2022 with Oscar nominations revealed on January 24, 2023. The 95th Academy Awards will be held on March 12, 2023.
Country-selected films that had a previously planned theatrical release but are initially made available
through a reputable commercial streaming distribution service or video on demand may qualify for
Awards consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 95th Academy Awards under
these provisions:
• Provide to the Academy documentation (original document(s) and an English translation) of
government-mandated theater/cinema closure dates, previously planned theatrical release and
streaming distribution or video on demand agreements;
• Meet all other eligibility requirements.
In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow
films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside of the
United States and its territories for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for paid admission. The International Feature Film Executive Committee will evaluate all matters of rules and eligibility.
Participation in a film festival’s online/virtual platform will not affect a film’s eligibility for Awards
consideration provided the festival has a transactional pay wall or password-protected entry. Film festival
participation does not qualify a film in the International Feature Film category. Films must comply with
all other eligibility requirements for the 95th Academy Awards.
International Feature Film submissions may be submitted for consideration for the 95th Academy
Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they comply with the rules governing
those categories.
Films submitted for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 95th Academy
Awards are not eligible for consideration in other awards categories in the subsequent year, nor
could the films have been submitted in other awards categories in a previous year
Submission deadlines:
Foreign-language/International Feature films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar
Between 1947 and 1955, the Academy presented Special Awards to the best foreign language films released in the U.S. Because these awards were not handed out on a regular basis and didn’t have any nominees, they were not competitive. For the 29th Academy Awards in 1956, a competitive Academy Award of Merit, known as the Best Foreign Language Film Award, was created for non-English speaking films. It has since then been awarded annually category. Nearly 20 years earlier, Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion (France) was nominated for Best Picture in 1938, its only nomination. 2006’s Letters From Iwo Jima was a Japanese-spoken US production not an official submission for foreign language film.
In 1957, Denmark became the first country to send a film with a female director to the Foreign Oscar competition (Annelise Hovmand’s Be Dear to Me). Two years later, Astrid Henning-Jensen’s Paw became to the first film directed by a woman to receive a nomination in the category.
Since the inception of the foreign language/international feature Oscar, only 10 films have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. 2019’s South Korea’s Parasite became the first ever to win. 2020 Best Picture nominee Minari, while primarily in Korean, was a U.S. production. Japan’s Drive My Car (2021) is the most recent Best Picture nominee and the winner of last season’s International Feature Film Oscar.
| TITLE | COUNTRY | FILM YEAR |
| Z | Algeria | 1969 |
| The Emigrants | Sweden | 1972 |
| Cries and Whispers | Sweden | 1973 |
| The Postman | Italy | 1995 |
| Life is Beautiful | Italy | 1998 |
| Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon | Taiwan | 2000 |
| Amour | Austria | 2012 |
| Roma | Mexico | 2018 |
| Parasite (Best Picture winner) | South Korea | 2019 |
| Drive My Car | Japan | 2021 |
The biggest losers: While Israel is the biggest loser with 10 nominations and no wins in this category, and Portugal is the currently the most unsuccessful country for getting a nomination with the most submissions (at 36). Philippines holds another record; it’s the sole country to send a submission film in the first competitive year (1956) that hasn’t gotten an Oscar nom yet. The other 7 countries that submitted that first year – France, Italy, West Germany (now Germany), Denmark, Sweden, Japan and Spain – all ended up winning the Oscar at least once.
Submissions with women directors or co-directors: Armenia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Finland, France, Guatemala, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malta, North Macedonia, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Tunisia, Ukraine
Submissions with LGBTQ+ subjects or themes: Belgium, Finland, Morocco
Countries with potential eligibility issues:
Countries submitting for the first time: Uganda
Last year, 93 submitted films were found eligible for an Oscar nomination. Here is the official list of submissions for the 2023 International Feature Film Oscar, updating throughout the season.
| COUNTRY | TITLE | DIRECTOR(S) | STUDIO/U.S. DISTRIBUTION | FACTS/STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On | Gentian Koçi (2nd) | 15th submission for Albania, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Algeria | Our Brothers | Rachid Bouchareb (7th) | 24th submission for Algeria, which has been nominated 5 times and won once (1969's Z) | |
| Argentina | Argentina, 1985 | Santiago Mitre (1st) | Amazon | 49th submission for Argentina, which has been nominated seven times and won twice (1985's The Official Storyy, 2009's The Secret in Their Eyes) |
| Armenia | Aurora's Sunrise | Inna Sahakyan (1st) | 11th submission for Armenia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Australia | You Won't Be Alone | Goran Stolevski (1st) | 15th submission for Australia, which has been nominated once | |
| Austria | Corsage | Marie Kreutzer (1st) | IFC Films | 46th submission for Austria, which has been nominated four times and won twice (2007's The Counterfeiters, 2012's Amour) |
| Azerbaijan | Creators | Shamil Aliyev (2nd) | 9th submission for Azerbaijan, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Bangladesh | Hawa | Mejbaur Rahman Sumon (1st) | 18th submission for Bangladesh, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Belgium | Close | Lukas Dhont (2nd) | A24 | 47th submission for Belgium, which has been nominated seven times but has yet to win |
| Bolivia | Utama | Alejandro Loayza Grisi (1st) | Kino Lorber | 14th submission for Bolivia, which has yet to be nominated |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | Balada | Aida Begić (4th) | 22nd submission for Bosnia-Herzegovina, which has been nominated twice and won once (2001's No Man's Land) | |
| Brazil | Mars One | Gabriel Martins (1st) | 52nd submission for Brazil, which has been nominated four times (and disqualified once, for 1980's Pixote) | |
| Bulgaria | In the Heart of the Machine | Martin Makariev (1st) | 28th submission for Bulgaria, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Cambodia | Return to Seoul | Davy Chou (1st) | Sony Pictures Classics | 11th submission for Cambodia, which has been nominated once |
| Cameroon | The Planter's Plantation | Dingha Young Eystein (1st) | 5th submission for Cameroon, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Canada | Eternal Spring | Jason Loftus (1st) | 48th submission for Canada, which has been nominated seven times and won once (2003's The Barbarian Invasions) | |
| Chile | Blanquita | Fernando Guzzoni (1st) | 27th submission for Chile, which has been nominated twice and won once (2017's A Fantastic Woman) | |
| China | Nice View | Wen Muye (1st) | 36th submission for China, which has been nominated twice | |
| Columbia | The Kings of the World | Laura Mora Ortega (1st) | Netflix | 31st submission for Columbia, which has been nominated once |
| Costa Rica | Domingo and the Mist | Ariel Escalante (2nd) | 11th submission for Costa Rica, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Croatia | Safe Place | Juraj Lerotić (1st) | 31st submission for Croatia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Czechia | Il Boemo | Petr Václav (1st) | 29th submission for Czechia, which has been nominated three times and won once (1996's Kolya) | |
| Denmark | Holy Spider | Ali Abbasi (1st) | Utopia | 60th submission for Denmark, which has been nominated 14 times and won four (1987's Pelle the Conquerer, 1988's Babette's Feast, 2010's In a Better World, 2020's Another Round) |
| Dominican Republic | Bantu Mama | Ivan Herrera (1st) | Netflix/Array | 15th submission for Dominican Republic, which has yet to be nominated |
| Ecuador | Lo Invisible | Javier Andrade (2nd) | 11th submission for Ecuador, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Estonia | Kalev | Ove Musting (1st) | 20th submission for Estonia, which has been nominated once | |
| Finland | Girl Picture | Alli Haapasalo (1st) | Strand Releasing | 36th submission for Finland, which has been nominated once |
| France | Saint Omer | Alice Diop (1st) | SUPER | 70th submission for France, which has been nominated 40 times and won 12 (including 3 Honorary) |
| Georgia | A Long Break | Davit Pirtskhalava (1st) | 21st submission for Georgia, which has been nominated once | |
| Germany | All Quiet on the Western Front | Edward Berger (1st) | Netflix | 61st overall submission for Germany both pre and post-unification in 1990, Germany has been nominated 20 times and won three times (1979's The Tin Drum, 2002's Nowhere in Africa, 2006's The Lives of Others) |
| Greece | Magnetic Fields | Yorgis Gousi (1st) | 43rd submission for Greece, which has been nominated five times but has yet to win | |
| Guatemala | The Silence of the Mole | Anäis Taracena (1st) | 4th submission for Guatemala, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Hong Kong | Where the Wind Blows | Philip Yung (1st) | 41st submission for Hong Kong, which has been nominated three times | |
| Hungary | Blockade | Ádám Tősé (1st) | 58th submission for Hungary, which has been nominated 10 times and won twice (1981's Mephisto and 2015's Son of Saul) | |
| Iceland | Beautiful Beings | Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson (1st) | 43rd submission for Iceland, which has been nominated once | |
| India | Last Film Show | Pan Nalin (1st) | Samuel Goldwyn Films | 55th submission for India, which has been nominated three times |
| Indonesia | Ngeri Ngeri Sedap | Bene Dionysius (1st) | 24th submission for Indonesia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Iran | World War III | Houman Seyyedi (1st) | 28th submission for Iran, which has been nominated three times and won twice (2011's A Separation, 2016's The Salesman - both from Asghar Farhadi) | |
| Iraq | The Exam | Shawkat Amin Korki (1st) | 11th submission for Iraq, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Ireland | The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin) | Colm Bairéad (1st) | SUPER | 9th submission for Ireland, which has yet to be nominated. |
| Israel | Cinema Sabaya | Orit Fouks Rotem (1st) | 54th submission for Israel, which has been nominated 10 times, the most of any country without a win | |
| Italy | Nostalgia | Mario Martone (1st) | Breaking Glass Pictures | 69th submission for Italy, which has been nominated 32 times and won 14 (including three Hononary) |
| Japan | Plan 75 | Chie Hayakawa (1st) | 69th submission for Japan, which has been nominated 17 times and won five (three honorary then 2008's Departures and 2021's Drive My Car) | |
| Jordan | Farha | Darin J. Sallam (1st) | 6th submission for Jordan, which has been nominated once | |
| Kazakhstan | Life | Emir Balgazin (1st) | 17th submission for Kazakhstan, which has been nominated once | |
| Kenya | Terastorm | Andrew Kaggia (1st) | 7th submission for Kenya, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Kosovo | Venera | Norika Sefa (1st) | MUBI | 9th submission for Kosovo, which has yet to be nominated |
| Kyrgyzstan | Home for Sale | 15th submission for Kyrgyzstan, which has yet to be nominated | ||
| Latvia | January | Viesturs Kairiss (1st) | 14th submission for Latvia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Lebanon | Memory Box | Joana Hadjithomas (2nd) and Khalil Joreige (2nd) | 18th submission for Lebanon, which has been nominated twice | |
| Lithuania | Pilgrims | Laurynas Bareiša (1st) | 15th submission for Lithuania, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Luxembourg | Icare | Carlo Vogele (1st) | 19th submission for Luxembourg, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Malta | Carmen | Valerie Buhagiar (1st) | 3rd submission for Malta, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Mexico | Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths | Alejandro G. Iñárritu (3rd) | Netflix | 55th submission for Mexico, which has been nominated nine times and won once (2018's Roma) |
| Moldova | Carbon | Ion Borș (1st) | 3rd submission for Moldova, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Mongolia | Harvest Moon | Amarsaikhan Baljinnyam (1st) | 7th submission for Mongolia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Montenegro | The Elegy of Laurel | Dusan Kasalica (1st) | 9th submission for Montenegro, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Morocco | The Blue Caftan | Maryam Touzani (2nd) | Strand Releasing | 18th submission for Morocco, which has yet to be nominated |
| Nepal | Butterfly on a Windowpane | Sujit Bidari (1st) | 12th submission for Nepal, which has been nominated once | |
| Netherlands | Narcosis | Martijn de Jong (1st) | 55th submission for Netherlands, which has been nominated seven times and won three times (1986's The Assault, 1995's Antonia's Line, 1997's Character) | |
| New Zealand | Muru | Te Arepa Kah (1st) | 7th submission for New Zealand, which has yet to be nominated | |
| North Macedonia | The Happiest Man in the World | Teona Strugar Mitevska (1st) | 19th submission for North Macedonia, which has been nominated twice | |
| Norway | War Sailor | Gunnar Vikene (1st) | 44th submission for Norway, which has been nominated six times | |
| Pakistan | Joyland | Saim Sadiq (1st) | 11th submission for Pakistan, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Palestine | Mediterranean Fever | Maha Haj (1st) | 15th submission for Palestine, which has been nominated twice | |
| Panama | Birthday Boy | Arturo Montenegro (2nd) | 9th submission for Panama, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Paraguay | Eami | Paz Encina (1st) | 6th submission for Paraguay, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Peru | Moon Heart | Aldo Salvini (1st) | 29th submission for Peru, which has been nominated once | |
| Philippines | On the Job: The Missing 8 | Erik Matti (1st) | 33rd submission for Philippines, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Poland | EO | Jerzy Skolimowski | Janus Films/Sideshow | 58th submission for Poland, which has been nominated 12 times and won once (2014's Ida) |
| Portugal | Alma Viva | Cristèle Alves Meira (1st) | 39th submission for Portugal, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Romania | Immaculate | Monica Stan and George Chiper (1st) | 38th submission for Romania, which has been nominated once | |
| Saudi Arabia | Raven Song | Mohamed al Salman (1st) | 6th submission for Saudi Arabia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Senegal | Xalé | Moussa Sene Absa (1st) | 4th submission for Senegal, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Serbia | Darklin | Dušan Milić (1st) | 29th submission for Serbia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Singapore | Ajoomma | He Shuming (1st) | 16th submission for Singapore, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Slovakia | Victim | Michal Blasko (1st) | 26th submission for Slovakia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Slovenia | Orchestra | Matevž Luzar (1st) | 26th submission for Slovenia, which has yet to be nominated | |
| South Korea | Decision to Leave | Park Chan-wook (1st) | MUBI | 34th submission for South Korea, which has been nominated and won once (2019's Parasite) |
| Switzerland | A Piece of Sky | Michael Koch (1st) | 50th submission for Switzerland, which has been nominated five times and won twice (1984's Dangerous Moves, 1990's Journey of Hope) | |
| Sweden | Cairo Conspiracy | Tarik Saleh (1st) | Samuel Goldwyn Films | 61st submission for Sweden, which has been nominated 16 times and won three times, all for Ingmar Bergman films (1960's The Virgin Spring, 1961's Through a Glass Darkly, 1983's Fanny and Alexander) |
| Spain | Alcarràs | Carla Simon (1st) | 65th submission for Spain, which has been nominated 20 times and won four (1982's Begin the Beguine, 1993's Belle Époque, 1999's All About My Mother, 2004's The Sea Inside) | |
| Taiwan | Goddamned Asura | Lou Yi-An (1st) | 48th submission for Taiwan, which has been nominated three time and won once (2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) | |
| Tanzania | Tug of War | Amil Shivji (1st) | 2nd submission for Tanzania, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Thailand | One for the Road | Nattawut Poonpiriya (2nd) | 29th submission for Thailand, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Tunisia | Under the Fig Tree | Erige Sehiri (1st) | 9th submission for Tunisia, which has been nominated once | |
| Turkey | Kerr | Tayfun Pirselimoğlu (1st) | 29th submission for Turkey, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Uganda | Tembele | Morris Mugisha (1st) | 1st ever submission for Uganda | |
| Ukraine | Klondike | Maryna Er Gorbach (1st) | 15th submission for Ukraine, which has yet to be nominated | |
| United Kingdom | Winners | Hassan Nazer (1st) | 19th submission for United Kingdom, which has been nominated twice | |
| Uruguay | The Employer and the Employee | Manolo Nieto (1st) | 22nd submission for Uruguay, which was nominated then disqualified for 1992's A Place in the World after it was discovered the film's primary artistic input was Argentinian | |
| Venezuela | The Box | Lorenzo Vigas (2nd) | 32nd submission for Venezuela, which has yet to be nominated | |
| Vietnam | 578: Shot of the Madman | Lương Đình Dũng (2nd) | 19th submission for Vietnam, which has been nominated once | |
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