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

95th Oscars. Predictions for the Films of 2023 / CEREMONY: March 10th, 2024
 For prediction, discussion, entertainment purposes only discuss on the blog

   

SUBMISSION CHARTS
most recent update 12/08/23

CHART 3: PAKISTAN through YEMEN
31 Official Submissions

 

Pakistan
1 finalist

🇵🇰

IN FLAMES
Dir. Zarrar Khan
No US Distributio

98 minutes
Urdu

A horror film about a widow and her daughter after the family patriarch's passing.

recent key submissions
2022 - Joyland

 

Palestine
2 nominations | 
submitting since 2003

🇵🇸

BYE BYE TIBERIAS
Dir Lina Soualem
No US Distrib Yet.

82 minutes
French & Arabic

A documentary about the actress Hiam Abbass (Succession) returning to the Palestinian village she left for an acting career in France

recent key submissions
2020 - Gaza Mon Amour
2019 - It Must Be Heaven
2013 - Omar

 

Panama
never nominated | + 1 finalist | submitting since 2014)

🇵🇦

TITO, MARGOT & ME
Dir. Mercedes Arias and Delfina Vidal
No US Distrib. Yet

92 minutes
Spanish

A documentary about the relationship of the Panamian Tito Arias and the ballerina Margot Fonteyn.

recent key submissions
2021 - Plaza Catedral
2019 - Everybody Changes

 

Paraguay
never nominated | submitting since 2015

🇵🇾

THE LAST RUNWAY 2 COMMANDO YAGUARETE
Dir. Armando Aquino and Mauricio Rial
No US Distrib. Yet

92 minutes
Spanish 

An action sequel about a group of commandos aiming to free a prisoner.

Not Selected
They were also considering Michael Kovicj Jr's horror film The Apartment, and Aquino & Duarte's drama La Ultima Obra

recent key submissions:
2022 -Eami 
2018 -The Heiresses 

Peru
1 nomination | submitting since 1967

🇵🇪

THE ERECTION OF TORIBIO BARDELLI
dir. Adrián Saba
No US Distrib Yet.

82 minutes
Spanish

A dramedy about an older father who wants to have an erection again. Saba was previously submitted for his film The Cleaner (2013)

Not Selected:
The other finalists were Queens without a Crown, and Soltera Codiciada 2.

recent key submissions:
2019 -Retablo
2010 -Undertow
2009 -Milk of Sorrow 

 

Philippines
never nominated |  submitting since 1953

🇵🇭

THE MISSING
Dir. Carl Joseph Papa

90 minutes
Ilocano, Filipino

An animated film about an alien and a mouthless boy.

recent key submissions
 2022 - On the Job: Missing 8
2016 - Ma' Rosa
2012 - Bwakaw

 

Poland
13 nominations | 1 win submitting since 1963

🇵🇱

THE PEASANTS
Dir. DK Welchman & Hugh Welchman
Anonymous Content in US, TBA

116 minutes
Polish

Painted animated drama adaptation of a novel about a peasant woman who creates a scandal marrying a rich older man. This team previously directed the Oscar-nominated Loving Vincent. 

recent key submissions
2022 - EO
2020 - Never Gonna Snow
2018 - Cold War
2014 - Ida

Portugal
never nominated |  submitting since 1980

🇵🇹

BAD LIVING
Dir. João Canijo
No US Distrib. Yet

127 minutes
Portugese

Five women struggle to maintain a hotel they inherited. 

Not Selected
The other three  finalists were Living Bad, Legua, and Nayola

recent key submissions
2021 Metamorphosis 
2020 - Vitalina Varela
2019 - The Domain
2015 - Arabian Nights 

Romania
1 nomination | +1 finalist | submitting since 1966

🇷🇴

DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
Dir. Radu Jude
No US Distrib Yet.
REVIEW

163 minutes
Romanian

 

This is the fourth time Romania has submitted a Radu Jude film. This one's a political comedy. Germany's Nina Hoss appears!

recent key submissions
2021 Bad Luck...
2020 - Collective
2013 - Child's Pose
2012 - Beyond the Hills
2007 - 4 Months 3 Weeks

SAUDI ARABIA
never nominated

🇸🇦

ALHAMOUR H.A.
Dir. Abdulelah Alqurashi
No US Distribution

120 minutes
Arabic

A comedy about a con artist security guard making billions off of suspicious investments

recent key submissions
TEXT

 

Senegal
never nominated | + 2 finalists | submitting since 2017

🇸🇳

BANEL & ADAMA
Dir. Ramata-Toulaye Sy

87 minutes
Pular

A romantic drama about a young couple facing disapproval from their village.

recent key submissions
2019 - Atlantique
2017 - Felicite

Serbia
never nominated | + 1 finalist | submitting since 1994

🇷🇸

THE DUKE AND THE POET (also known as BECAUSE MY THOUGHTS ARE STRUGGLING)
Dir. Milorad Milinkoviç

140 minutes
Serbian

A historical thriller about an assassination that follows two Princes. 

Not Selected
Serbia was also considering: Guardians of the Formula, Have You Seen This Woman?, Lost Country, Heroes of Halyard, and Storm

recent key submissions
2021 -Oasis
2007 - The Trap

Singapore
never nominated |
submitting since 1959 and regularly since 2005

🇸🇬

THE BREAKING ICE
Dir. Anthony Chen

97 minutes
Chinese

A romantic triangle drama from the director of Ilo Ilo and Wet Season

recent key submissions
2022 - Ajooma
2020 - Wet Season
2016 - Apprentice
2013 - Ilo Ilo

Slovakia
never nominated* | 
submitting since 1993

🇸🇰

PHOTOPHOBIA
Dir. Ivan Ostrochovsky & Pavol Pekarcik

70 minutes
Ukranian & Russian

A documentary about two preteens hiding from the war at a metro station. It just premiered at Venice. 

recent key submissions
2021 - 107 Mothers 
2020 - Auschwitz Report
2017 - The Line
2016 - Eva Nova

* One Slovak language movie won the prize (Shop on Main Street) back when the country was part of Cszechoslovakia

 

Slovenia
never nominated | submitting since 1993

🇸🇮

RIDERS
Dir. Dominik Mencej

110 minutes
Slovenian

A road trip movie about two friends and their mopeds in the spring of 1999. 

 

recent key submissions
2021 - Sanremo
2009 - Landscape No 2

 

 

South Africa
2 noms | 1 win | + 2 finalists |  submitting since 1989

🇿🇦

MUSIC IS MY LIFE: DR JOSEPH SHABALALA & LADYSMITH BLACKMAMBAZO 
dir Mpumi Mbele
No US Distributor

90 minutes
Zulu & English

A full life biographical documentary about Joseph Shabalala (1940-2020) and the legendary band Ladysmith Black Mambazo 

recent key submissions
2018 - Sew the Winter...
2017 - The Wound
2010 - Life Above All

 


South Korea
1 nom | 1 win | + 2 finalists |  submitting since 1962

🇧🇱

CONCRETE UTOPIA
dir Um Tae-hwa
No US Distributor
REVIEW

130 minutes
Korean

Disaster movie dealing with an earthquake and its aftermath in Seoul. Lee Byung hun (Joint Security Area, Magnificent Seven) and Park Seo-joon (Parasite) star. 

not selected
South Korea does not have official finalist lists each year but we know that 13 films are being considered  for the submission including Sleep and Cobweb.

recent key submissions
2023 - Decision to Leave
2021 Escape from
2019 - Parasite
2018 -Burning

 


Spain
20 noms | 4 wins | + 3 finalists | submitting since 1956

🇪🇸

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW
Dir. J.A. Bayona
Dec 15th in US
(Netflix in January)

144 minutes
Spanish

A true story survival thriller about a rugy team who crash lands on a glacier in the Andes

not selected
Spain was also considering Victor Erice's comeback Close Your Eyes, and Estiabliz Urresola Solaguren's 20000 Species of Bees 

 

recent key submissions
2022 - Alcarras
2021 - The Good Boss
2019 - Pain & Glory
2012 -Blancanieves

Spain & Oscar

Sudan
never nominated  | first submitted in 2020

🇸🇩

GOODBYE JULIA
Dir. Mohamed Kordofani
No US Distribution

120 minutes
Arabic

A drama about a singer who hires a widow as her maid from her guilt at the death of the woman's husband.

Sweden
16 noms | 3 wins | + 4 finalists | submitting since 1956

🇸🇪

OPPONENT
Dir. Milad Alami
No US Distribution

REVIEW

119 minutes
Farsi and Swedish

not selected
the other finalists were Mika Gustafson's Paradise is Burning, and Together 99 by Lukas Moodysson (a sequel to the great 2000 picture Together)

 recent key submissions
2022 - Cairo Conspiracy
2019 - And Then We...
2018 - Border
2017 - The Square
2015 - A Pigeon Sat...
2014 -Force Majeure

Sweden  & Oscar

 

Switzerland
5 noms | 2 wins | + 3 finalists | submitting since 1961

🇨🇭

THUNDER
dir. Carmen Jaquier
No US Distributor

92 minutes
French

A young girl in a convent returns home after her sister mysteriously dies. Thunder played at TIFF 2022.

recent key submissions
2021 -Olga
2016 -My Life as a Zucchini
2012 -Sister

Taiwan
3 noms | 1 win | + 2 finalists | submitting since 1957

🇹🇼

MARRY MY DEAD BODY
dir. Cheng Wei-hao
Streaming on Netflix

130 minutes
Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hokkien

A comedy about a cop who accidentally marries a ghost husband. Together they solve a crime.

recent key submissions
2022 -
2020 - A Sun (finalist)
2019 - Dear Ex
2015 - The Assassin

Thailand
never nominated | submitting since 1984

🇹🇭

NOT FRIENDS
Dir. Atta Hemwadee

130 minutes
Thai

A dramedy involving a group of filmmaking teenagers.

recent key submissions
2019 - Inhuman Kiss
2015 -How to Win at Checkers
2012 - Headshot
2010 - Uncle Boonmee

Tunisia
1 nomination |
submitting since 1995

🇹🇳

FOUR DAUGHTERS
Dir. Kaouther Ben Hania
Now Playing, Kino Lorber
REVIEW

107 minutes
Arabic

A documentary drama hybrid about a Tunisian woman and her four daughters, two of whom disappear.

recent key submissions
2020 - Man Who Sold...
2016 - As I Open My Eyes

 

Turkey
never nominated | 1 finalist | submitting irregularly since 1964...every year since 2005

🇹🇷

ABOUT DRY GRASSES
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
REVIEW

197 minutes
Turkish

This is the sixth time Turkey has submitted a Ceylan film. One (Three Monkeys) made the finals.  

recent key submissions
2021 - Wild Pear Tree
2011 - Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
2008 - Three Monkeys

 

 

 

Ukraine
never nominated | 
submitting since 1997

🇺🇦

20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
Dir. Mstyslav Chernov
US Release, July 14th

95 minutes
Ukrainian, English

A documentary about Ukrainian journalists struggling to document the war's atrocities as the Russians invade.

not selected
Ukraine was also considering: Boney Piles, Iron Butterflies, Pamfir, and Shttl

recent key submissions
2022 - Klondike
2020 - Atlantis
2018 - Donbass

United Kingdom
(submitting since)

🇬🇧 

THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Dir Jonathan Glazer
A24, Dec 15th
REVIEW

105 minutes
German and Polish

The domestic life of a Nazi family during the Holocaust

recent key submissions
2019 - The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
2013 - Metro Manila

Uruguay
never nominated
(submitting since 1992)

🇺🇾

FAMILY ALBUM
dir. Guillermo Rocamora
No US Distributor

91 minutes
Spanish

A comedy about a father and son forming a band. Generational conflicts ensue. Diego Cremonesi stars

recent key submissions
2021 - Broken Glass...
2018 - 12 Year Night

Venezuela
never nominated (submitting since 1978)

🇻🇪

THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
Dir. Miguel Angel Ferrer
No US Distributor

98 minutes
Spanish

A comic adventure.

recent key submissions
2022 -The Box
2016 - From Afar
2014- The Liberator

Vietnam
1 nomination
(submitting since 1993)

🇻🇳

GLORIOUS ASHES
Dir. Bùi Thac Chuyên
No US Distributor

A drama involving three women in a southern seaside village

recent key submissions
2019 - Furie
2018 - The Tailor
2005 - The Buffalo Boy

 

Yemen
never nominated
(submitting irregularly since 2016)

🇻🇳

THE BURDENED
Dir. Amr Gamal
No US Distributor

91 minutes
Arabic

A couple finds they are pregnant with a fourth child during an economic crisis. They can't afford another child.

recent key submissions
2016 - I Am Nojoom...

 

Russia did not submit this year for the second consecutive year due to US sanctions against them.

Tajikstan submitted "Melody" but it strangely is not on the AMPAS viewing list

• STATS and PREDICTIONS

• Chart 1 - ALBANIA through GEORGIA  
 

Chart 2 - GERMANY through NORWAY 

 

TRIVIA TIME

Longest Titles This Year

About Dry Grasses
(Turkey) 197 min

The Delinquents (Argentina) 189 min

Do Not Expect Too...(Romania) 163 min

Shortest Titles This Year

Photobphobia
(Slovakia) 70 min

Thunders
(Moldova) 75 min

Fallen Leaves
(Finland) 81 min

A Male
(Colombia) 81 min

TRIVIA TIME

GENRE BREAKDOWN (approx)

The vast majority of submissions are always dramas with social issues, family relationships, poltiics, and immigration as common themes.

15% comedy

12% documentaries

4% disaster movies 

3% animated

2% LGBTQ elements

2% horror films

2% westerns

2% sci-fi/fantasy

2% action films

TRIVIA TIME

Directors

30% of the films are by directors who have been submitted at least once in the past

13% of the films are from directors who have been submitted multiple times in this category

5% of the films have been submitted by directors who've previously been nominated in this category

 

 

STATS and PREDICTIONS

• Chart 1 - ALBANIA through GEORGIA  
• Chart 2 - GERMANY through NORWAY