The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the 15 films advancing to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards, narrowing a global field of entries from 86 countries and regions.
Announcing the shortlist, the Academy stated, "Fifteen films advanced to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category. Here's where they land on the map..." The final nominations will be revealed on Thursday, January 22.
The selected films represent a broad geographic spread across world cinema. The shortlisted titles are "Belén" (Argentina), "The Secret Agent" (Brazil), "It Was Just an Accident" (France), "Sound of Falling" (Germany), "Homebound" (India), "The President's Cake" (Iraq), "Kokuho" (Japan), "All That's Left of You" (Jordan), "Sentimental Value" (Norway), "Palestine 36" (Palestine), "No Other Choice" (South Korea), "Sirât" (Spain), "Late Shift" (Switzerland), "Left-Handed Girl" (Taiwan) and "The Voice of Hind Rajab" (Tunisia).
According to the Academy's website, "Fifteen films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards. Films from 86 countries or regions were eligible in the category."
The shortlist reflects a wide range of political, social and personal narratives, continuing the category's role as a barometer of global filmmaking beyond Hollywood. The International Feature Film race is often one of the most competitive at the Oscars, with many shortlisted films already established on the international festival circuit.
India's entry, "Homebound", directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, appears among the 15, marking a rare moment for Indian cinema at this stage of the competition. The film stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, with Janhvi Kapoor in a key role, and follows two childhood friends whose shared ambition to join the police force shapes their adult lives.
The film has previously screened at major international festivals, including Cannes, Toronto and Melbourne, contributing to its visibility ahead of the Oscar race. It is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla and Apoorva Mehta, with Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier as co-producers, and Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serving as executive producers.
As voting continues, the shortlisted films will compete for a final place among the nominees, with the announcement expected later this month. The eventual nominees will go on to contest one of the Academy Awards' most internationally watched categories.
