Welcome

The Film Experience™ was created by Nathaniel R. All material herein is written by our team. (This site is not for profit but for an expression of love for cinema & adjacent artforms.)

Follow TFE on Substackd

Powered by Squarespace
DON'T MISS THIS
Keep TFE Strong

We're looking for 500... no 390 SubscribersIf you read us daily, please be one.  

I ♥ The Film Experience

THANKS IN ADVANCE

What'cha Looking For?
Subscribe

 

Index | Picture | Actress | Actor | Supp Actor | Supp ActressDirector 
Screenplays | Visuals | Music and Sound | Animation & Docs | International Film

98th Oscars. Predictions for the Films of 2025
 For prediction, discussion, entertainment purposes only discuss on the blog

 

SUBMISSION CHARTS
most recent update: 08/30/2025

CHART 2: HAITI through NORWAY
6 OFFICIAL SUBMISSIONs + 2 FINALIST LISTS (THUS FAR) 

Haiti
never nominated

Hong Kong
3 nominations | + 1 finalist | submitting since 1959

Hungary
10 noms | 2 wins | + 2 finalists | submitting since 1965

Iceland
1 nomination | + 4 finalists | submitting since 1980

THE LOVE THAT REMAINS
Hylmur Palmasson
playing at NYFF this yr

109 minutes
Icelandic.

As expected they've chosen the autobiographical divorce film from one of their favourite sons. The directors children appear as the protagonists children. This is Palmasson's third submission after A White White Day and the acclaimed finalist Godland.

3 underappreciated submissions
2019 - A White White Day
2018 - Woman at War
2013 - Of Horses and Men

India
3 nominations | +1 finalist
submitting since 1957

 

Indonesia
never nominated | submitting since 1987

Iran
3 noms | 2 wins | + 2 finalists | submitting since 1977

Iraq
never nominated | submitting since 2005

SPECULATION - We're guessing The President's Cake

Ireland
1 nominee | + 2 finalists | submitting spottily since 2005

SANATORIUM
dir Gar O'Rourke
no US Distribution Yet

90 minutes
Ukrainian

A documentary about a former Soviet health center now treating Ukrainians as the war rages. 

Trivia: of Ireland's 12 submissions thus far, 3 of them have been documentaries (Gaza, In the Shadow of Bierut, Sanatorium)

3 key submissions
2024 - Kneecap
2022 - The Quiet Girl
2015  -Viva

Israel
10 noms | 0 wins | + 1 finalist |  submitting since 1964

TBD

FINALISTS: Israel sends the Ophir winner. The nominees for the honor are...  Dead Language (based on an Oscar-nominated short!), an Israeli lawyer in Georgia drama Nandauri,  an intense mother son drama Oxgyen, a drama about a Palestinian boy called The Sea, and the latest from Nadav Lapid called Yes.

3 key snubbed submissions:
2012 - Fill the Void
2010 - The Human Resources Manager
2001 - Late Marriage

 

 

Italy
29 noms | 11 wins | + 3 honoraries | + 2 finalists | submitting since 1956

Japan
15 noms | 2 wins | + 3 honoraries | + 1 finalist | submitting since 1956

KOKUHO
dir. Lee Sang-Il
no US distribution yet

175 minutes
Japanese

We are predicting this epic drama about two kabuki performers, one the son of gangsters, the other his mentor (Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe)

3 recent nominees:
2023 - Perfect Days
2021 - Drive My Car
2018 -Shoplifters

Jordan
1 nom | submitting since 2008

ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU
dir. Cherien Dabis
Nov 20 in US theaters

145 minutes
Arabic

A Palestinian mother recounts her son's journey to a moment when he is confronted by Israeli soldiers. The director Dabis also co-stars in the picture.

3 key submissions:
2023 - Inshallah A Boy
2020 - 200 Meters
2015 - Thesis

Kazakhstan
1 nomination | + 2 finalists | submitting since 1992

Kenya
never nominated |  submitting since 2012

 

 

Kosovo
never nominated | 
submitting since 1992

Kyrgyzstan
never nominated | submitting since 1998

Latvia
1 nomination| 
submitting since 1992

DOG OF GOD
dir. Lauris Ābele and Raitis Ābele
no US distribution yet

92 minutes
Latvian and German

A supernatural horror comedy about a self-proclaimed werewolf and a witchcraft trial in a 17th century village

3 key submissions
2024 - Flow
2020 - Blizzard of Souls
2014 - Rocks in My Pocketrs

Lebanon
2 nominations | submitting since 1978

Lithuania
never nominated | submitting since 2006

 

Luxembourg
never nominated | submitting since 2006

Malaysia
never nominated | submitting since 2004

Malta
never nominated | submitting since 2014

Mexico
9 noms |  1 win | + 5 finalists | submitting since 1957
Moldova
noms

 

 

 

 

Mongolia
never nominated | submitting infrequently since 2003

Montenegro
never nominated | submitting since 2013

Montenegro
never nominated | submitting since 2013

Morocco
never nominated | + 3 finalists | submitting since 1977

Namibia

 

 

Nepal
1 nomination | submitting since 1999

The Netherlands
7 noms | 3 wins | + 3 finalists | submitting since 1959

TBD

FINALISTS:  They're choosing between eight films which are: father/son adventure Alpha, crime drama Fabula, child immigrant drama Live For Me, vacation drama Our Girls (from the director of the Oscar winning Character), documetnary The Propagandist, Cannes debuting mystery Reedland, anotehr documentery The System, and the black and white father son dramedy  Three Days of Fish.

3 key snubbed submissions:
2006 - Black Book
2013 - Borgman
1988 - The Vanishing

Nigeria
never nominated | submitting since 2019

North Macedonia
2 noms

SPECULATION - North Macedonia did not submit last year though they usually do. We're guessing DJ Ahmet

3 key submissions:
2023 - Housekeeping for Beginners
2019 - Honeyland
1994 - Before the Rain

Norway
6 nominations | + 3 finalists |  submitting since 1957

SENTIMENTAL VALUE
dir. Joachim Trier
Nov in US - Neon

135 minutes
Norwegian and English

This Cannes Grand Prix winner Revolves around a filmmaker (Stellan Skarsgaard) and his estranged relationship with his actress daughter (Reinata Reinsve) who refuses to star in his new movie about their family. 

This is Trier's 3rd submission after his incredible debut Reprise (2006) the supernatural lesbian drama Thelma (2017) and the Oscar-nominated instant classic Worst Person in the World (2021).

Not Selected:
The other finalists were the Golden Bear winning Dreams (Sex Love) from fast-rising wonderful auteur Dag Johan Haugerud, and the documentary Stoltenberg Facing War.

3 classic nominees:
2021 - Worst Person in the World
1987 - Pathfinder
1957 - Nine Lives

 

Current Predictions

Pt 1 - ALBANIA through GREECE  
➡️ Pt 3 - PAKISTAN through VIETNAM

 

Index | Picture | Actress | Actor | Supp Actor | Supp Actress | Director 
Screenplays | Visuals | Music and Sound | Animation & Docs | International Film