Oscar Favorites: 25 Films Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film

The 92nd Academy Awards are tomorrow, and one of the Best Picture front runners is Parasite, which is also poised to win Best International Feature Film (the category formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film). The South Korean film is my favorite of 2019, and one of my other top favorites of the year is fellow International Feature Film nominee Pain and Glory. And at last year’s Oscars ceremony, two of my favorites among the nominees were foreign films Roma and Cold War. So in celebration of international cinema (and what could be a big, historic night for Parasite), I wanted to take a look back at some of my favorite nominees in the category.

Note: I’m not including the aforementioned films because of their recent releases. I’m also not including the films that just received special recognition from the Academy like Bicycle Thieves and Rashomon, as they were honored before the category became competitive in 1956. With all that said, here in chronological order are 25 of my favorite films Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, now Best International Feature Film.

Nights of Cabiria (1957)

Nights of Cabiria (1957), directed by Federico Fellini

Won Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 30th Academy Awards – Nights of Cabiria

Black Orpheus (1959)

Black Orpheus (1959), directed by Marcel Camus

Won Best International Feature Film for France at the 32nd Academy Awards – Black Orpheus

The Virgin Spring (1960)

The Virgin Spring (1960), directed by Ingmar Bergman

Won Best International Feature Film for Sweden at the 33rd Academy Awards – The Virgin Spring
Other nominations: Best Costume Design (Black-and-White)

8½ (1963)

8½ (1963), directed by Federico Fellini

Won Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 36th Academy Awards –
Also won Best Costume Design (Black-and-White)
Other nominations: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design (Black-and-White)

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), directed by Jacques Demy

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for France at the 37th Academy Awards – The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Other nominations (at the 38th Academy Awards): Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song for “I Will Wait for You”, Best Original Score, Best Scoring – Adaptation or Treatment

Marriage Italian Style (1964)

Marriage Italian Style (1964), directed by Vittorio De Sica

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 38th Academy Awards – Marriage Italian Style
Other nominations (at the 37th Academy Awards): Best Actress for Sophia Loren

The Battle of Algiers (1966)

The Battle of Algiers (1966), directed by Gillo Pontecorvo

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 39th Academy Awards – The Battle of Algiers
Other nominations (at the 41st Academy Awards): Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

Stolen Kisses (1968)

Stolen Kisses (1968), directed by François Truffaut

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for France at the 41st Academy Awards – Stolen Kisses

Z (1969)

Z (1969), directed by Costa-Gavras

Won Best International Feature Film for Algeria at the 42nd Academy Awards – Z
Also won Best Film Editing
Other nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay

My Night at Maud's (1969)

My Night at Maud’s (1969), directed by Éric Rohmer

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for France at the 42nd Academy Awards – My Night at Maud’s
Other nominations (at the 43rd Academy Awards): Best Original Screenplay

Day for Night (1973)

Day for Night (1973), directed by François Truffaut

Won Best International Feature Film for France at the 46th Academy Awards – Day for Night
Other nominations (at the 47th Academy Awards): Best Supporting Actress for Valentina Cortese, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

A Special Day (1977)

A Special Day (1977), directed by Ettore Scola

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 50th Academy Awards – A Special Day
Other nominations: Best Actor for Marcello Mastroianni

Fanny and Alexander (1982)

Fanny and Alexander (1982), directed by Ingmar Bergman

Won Best International Feature Film for Sweden at the 56th Academy Awards – Fanny and Alexander
Also won Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design
Other nominations: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

Au revoir les enfants (1987)

Au revoir les enfants (1987), directed by Louis Malle

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for France at the 60th Academy Awards – Au revoir les enfants
Other nominations: Best Original Screenplay

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for Spain at the 61st Academy Awards – Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Cinema Paradiso (1988), directed by Giuseppe Tornatore

Won Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 62nd Academy Awards – Cinema Paradiso

Antonia's Line (1995)

Antonia’s Line (1995), directed by Marleen Gorris

Won Best International Feature Film for The Netherlands at the 68th Academy Awards – Antonia’s Line

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Life Is Beautiful (1997), directed by Roberto Benigni

Won Best International Feature Film for Italy at the 71st Academy Awards – Life Is Beautiful
Also won Best Actor for Roberto Benigni, Best Original Score
Other nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing

All About My Mother (1999)

All About My Mother (1999), directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Won Best International Feature Film for Spain at the 72nd Academy Awards – All About My Mother

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), directed by Ang Lee

Won Best International Feature Film for Taiwan at the 73rd Academy Awards – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Also won Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Production Design
Other nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song for “A Love Before Time”

Amélie (2001)

Amélie (2001), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for France at the 74th Academy Awards – Amélie
Other nominations: Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Sound

The Lives of Others (2006)

The Lives of Others (2006), directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Won Best International Feature Film for Germany at the 79th Academy Awards – The Lives of Others

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), directed by Guillermo del Toro

Nominated for Best International Feature Film for Mexico at the 79th Academy Awards – Pan’s Labyrinth
Won for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Other nominations: Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score

A Separation (2011)

A Separation (2011), directed by Asghar Farhadi

Won Best International Feature Film for Iran at the 84th Academy Awards – A Separation
Other nominations: Best Original Screenplay

Amour (2012)

Amour (2012), directed by Michael Haneke

Won Best International Feature Film for Austria at the 85th Academy Awards – Amour
Other nominations: Best Picture, Best Actress for Emmanuelle Riva, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

Feel free to share your favorite foreign-language films, whether they received some Oscars love or not. And be sure to check back here tomorrow, as I’ll post my annual picks and predictions for the 92nd Academy Awards.

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