Oscar Entries 2016

Submissions to the 89th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film

Switzerland announced today its submission to the 89th Academy Awards to compete for the Best Foreign Language Film Award. The stop motion animated film, My Life as a Zucchini (Ma vie de courgette) directed by Claude Barras, was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. It won the Audience Award and the Cristal for Best Feature Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

Stay tuned for all the other submissions as they get announced. The deadline for submissions is on October 3, 2016. The Academy is scheduled to announce a list of eligible submissions in late October from which nine finalists will be shortlisted on December 15, 2016. The final five nominees will be announced on January 24, 2017. The winner will be announced on February 26, 2017 at the Oscar ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Today, October the 11th, The Academy of Motion Pictures announced the 85 submissions. Here is the complete list followed by my rating:

• Albania - Chromium ★★★
• Algeria - The Well ★★★
• Argentina - The Distinguished Citizen ★★★★
• Australia - Tanna ★★★
• Austria - Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe ★★★★★
• Bangladesh - The Unnamed
• Belgium - The Ardennes ★★★★
• Bolivia - Sealed Cargo
• Bosnia & Herzegovina - Death in Sarajevo
• Brazil - Little Secret
• Bulgaria - Losers ★★★★
• Cambodia - Before the Fall ★★
• Canada - It's Only the End of the World ★★
• Chile - Neruda ★★★★
• China - Xuan Zang
• Colombia - Alias María ★★
• Costa Rica - About Us
• Croatia - On the Other Side ★★★
• Cuba - The Companion ★★
• Czech Republic - Lost in Munich ★★★
• Denmark - Land of Mine ★★★★
• Dominican Republic - Sugar Fields
• Ecuador - Such is Life in the Tropics
• Egypt - Clash ★★★★
• Estonia - Mother ★★★
• Finland - The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki ★★★
• France - Elle ★★★★★
• Georgia - House of Others ★★
• Germany - Toni Erdmann ★★★★
• Greece - Chevalier ★★
• Hong Kong - Port of Call 
• Hungary - Kills on Wheels ★★★
• Iceland - Sparrows ★★★★
• India - Interrogation (Visaaranai) ★★★
• Indonesia - Letters from Prague
• Iran - The Salesman ★★★★★
• Iraq - El Clásico
• Israel - Sand Storm ★★★
• Italy - Fire at Sea ★★★
• Japan - Nagasaki: Memories of My Son ★★★
• Jordan - 3000 Nights
• Kazakhstan - Amanat
• Kosovo - Home Sweet Home ★★
• Kyrgyzstan - A Father's Will
• Latvia - Dawn ★★★
• Lebanon - Very Big Shot ★★★★
• Lithuania - Seneca's Day
• Luxembourg - Voices of Chernobyl
• Macedonia - The Liberation of Skopje ★★★
• Malaysia - Beautiful Pain (Redha) ★★★
• Mexico - Desierto ★★★
• Montenegro - The Black Pin ★★
• Morocco  - A Mile in My Shoes ★★★
• Nepal - The Black Hen
• Netherlands - Tonio ★★
• New Zealand - A Flickering Truth
• Norway - The King's Choice ★★
• Pakistan - Mah e Mir
• Palestine - The Idol ★★★★
• Panama - Salsipuedes
• Peru - Videophilia (and Other Viral Syndromes) ★★
• Philippines - Ma' Rosa ★★★★
• Poland - Afterimage ★★★
• Portugal - Letters from War ★★
• Romania - Sieranevada ★★
• Russia - Paradise ★★★★
• Saudi Arabia - Barakah Meets Barakah ★★★★
• Serbia - Train Driver's Diary ★★★
• Singapore - Apprentice ★★★★
• Slovakia - Eva Nová ★★★
• Slovenia - Houston, We Have a Problem! ★★★
• South Africa - Call Me Thief
• South Korea - The Age of Shadows ★★★★
• Spain - Julieta ★★★★
• Sweden - A Man Called Ove ★★★
• Switzerland - My Life as a Zucchini ★★★★★
• Taiwan - Hang in There, Kids!
• Thailand - Karma
• Turkey - Cold of Kalandar
• Ukraine - Ukrainian Sheriffs ★★
• United Kingdom - Under the Shadow ★★ 
• Uruguay - Breadcrumbs
• Venezuela - From Afar (Desde allá) ★★★★
• Vietnam - Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass
• Yemen - I Am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced