The Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (Eirin) has selected Isao Yukisada's Go (pictured) as Japan's nominee for the Foreign Film Academy Award, out of a short list of twelve candidates.

The film, Yukisada's third feature, tells the story of a Korean youth's coming of age - and his struggle against prejudice in a society that regards him and his fellow Koreans as foreigners, even though they may be the third generation of their families to live in Japan.

Featuring a charismatic performance by Yosuke Kuobzuka in the lead role and filmed in a fast-paced style that reflects Yukisada's background as in-demand maker of music videos, the film has been a hit with young audiences since its release by Toei on October 20 on 195 screens.

Among other films on Eirin's short list were Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse, Shunji Iwai's All About Lily Chou Chou and Masato Harada's Inugami.

Meanwhile, the film that has been nominated to represent Uruguay at the Oscars is Tricky Life (En La Puta Vida), directed by Beatriz Flores Silva it is the highest grossing Uruguayan film of all time (and the overall biggest there after Titanic). Tricky Life is about the trafficking of South American women as prostitutes to Barcelona for the European market.