Two hundred seventy-four features are eligible for the 2009 best picture Oscar, the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences has announced.

To be eligible for 82nd Academy Awards consideration, features must open in a commercial theater in Los Angeles County by midnight December 31 and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days.

Under Academy rules, a feature must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format.

Features that receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category.

The Oscar nominations will be announced on February 2 ahead of the awards ceremony on March 7.