As expected Michael Haneke’s German entry The White Ribbon (pictured) and Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet from France have made it on to the Academy’s foregn language shortlist, although Bong Joon-ho’s widely admired South Korean film Mother is the notable omission.

Nine films have advanced from the initial pool of 65 submissions and will be in the mix when the five nominations are announced on February 2.

The shortlisted films in alphabetical order by country are:

El Secreto De Sus Ojos (Argentina). Dir: Juan Jose Campanella

Samson & Delilah (Australia). Dir: Warwick Thornton

The World Is Big And Salvation Lurks Around The Corner (Bulgaria). Dir: Stephan Komandarev

A Prophete (France). Dir: Jacques Audiard

The White Ribbon (Germany). Dir: Michael Haneke

Ajami (Israel). Dir: Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani

Kelin (Kazakhstan). Dir: Ermek Tursunov

Winter In Wartime (The Netherlands). Dir: Martin Koolhoven

The Milk Of Sorrow (Peru). Dir: Claudia Llosa

Foreign language nominations are again being determined in two phases. The Phase I committee, comprising several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 65 eligible films between mid-October and January 16. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s foreign language film award executive committee, constitute the shortlist.

The shortlist will be reduced to five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles. They will spend January 29-31 viewing three films each day before casting their ballots. The nominations will be announced on February 2.

Topics