Academy Awards race sets record for International Feature submissions

The race for the 2027 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film has officially begun, with a record-breaking number of submissions. The Academy has already released the first 29 titles that met all eligibility requirements, including films released between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, where at least 50% of the dialogue is in a language other than English.

Total submissions are expected to exceed 100, marking the largest field of competitors in the history of the award. Among the notable entries is the Iranian filmmaker Pegah Ahangarani’s “Rehersals for a Revolution,” which will represent the United Kingdom. Argentina’s official entry for the season is “La virgen de la tosquera.”

The expanded competition is partly due to a new rule where winners from major international film festivals automatically qualify for consideration alongside national submissions.