The shortlist of films vying for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards was announced on December 16. This year, there are several favorites, commercials, and numerous films with potential for distribution outside the United States. As with every year, this exciting and impressive category features compelling work across all disciplines.
Nominees in 12 categories — including Best Documentary, Best Original Song and Score, and the new Best Casting category — will be selected from the films included in this preliminary shortlist.
Wicked: For Good and Sinners led with mentions in eight categories, with Frankenstein following with six, and Sirât, One Battle After Another, and F1: The Movie coming in with five. Marty Supreme and Train Dreams each received four mentions. Other films that were shortlisted in multiple categories include Hamnet, Sentimental Value, and One Battle After Another.
In the documentary category, The Alabama Solution, Apocalypse in the Tropics, The Perfect Neighbor, and 2000 Meters to Andriivka were among the titles.
The 2026 Oscar nominations will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 22, ahead of the ceremony on Sunday, March 15. Conan O’Brien will return to host the show, airing live on ABC and available in more than 200 countries worldwide.
The main films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
- Argentina, “Belén”
- Brazil, “The Secret Agent”
- France, “It Was Just an Accident”
- Germany, “Sound of Falling”
- India, “Homebound”
- Iraq, “The President’s Cake”
- Japan, “Kokuho”
- Jordan, “All That’s Left of You”
- Norway, “Sentimental Value”
- Palestine, “Palestine 36”
- South Korea, “No Other Choice”
- Spain, “Sirât”
- Switzerland, “Late Shift”
- Taiwan, “Left-Handed Girl”
- Tunisia, “The Voice of Hind Rajab”