Icon distributed three of the eight films nominated in the two best foreign film categories of the 25th annual Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) Awards, it was announced today.

The films are In Bruges and Slumdog Millionaire in the English language category and The Diving Bell And The Butterfly in the foreign language category.

Scoring two nominations each are Disney (There Will Be Blood and Wall.E) and Sharmill Films (The Edge of Heaven and Waltz With Bashir), while I've Loved You So Long from Palace Films is the remaining film in the line-up.

The Black Balloon is the stand-out film in the Australian film categories. The drama about a family that has to deal with a son with autism has 10 chances to take home awards from the February 13 presentation in Sydney. It was the big winner at the Australian Film Institute Awards last month.

Other popular films with critics are Unfinished Sky with eight nominations, The Square with five and Australia with four. All four films, and Son Of A Lion, have a chance of winning best film.

The directors of all these films, with the exception of Baz Luhrmann, who was at the helm of Australia , are also nominated. It is the first time that Luhrmann's mega-budget picture has been eligible for a local award ceremony and one of its nominations is for young Brandon Walters in the supporting actor category.

FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS:

Best Film:

Australia -- producers G Mac Brown, Catherine Knapman, Baz Luhrmann

The Black Balloon -- Tristram Miall

Son Of A Lion -- Carolyn Johnson

The Square -- Louise Smith

Unfinished Sky -- Cathy Overett, Anton Smit

Best Director:

Elissa Down -- The Black Balloon

Peter Duncan -- Unfinished Sky

Nash Edgerton -- The Square

Benjamin Gilmour -- Son Of A Lion

Best Actor:

Grant Dodwell -- Men's Group

William McInnes -- Unfinished Sky

Rhys Wakefield -- The Black Balloon

Best Actress:

Danielle Catanzariti -- Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger

Noni Hazlehurst -- Bitter & Twisted

Monic Hendrickx -- Unfinished Sky

Gemma Ward -- The Black Balloon

Best Editor:

Suresh Ayyar -- Unfinished Sky

Rodrigo Balart -- Black Water

Veronika Jenet -- The Black Balloon

Best Screenplay:

Matthew Dabner, Joel Edgerton -- The Square

Elissa Down, Jimmy Jack -- The Black Balloon

Peter Duncan -- Unfinished Sky

Best Cinematography:

Denson Baker -- The Black Balloon

Robert Humphreys -- Unfinished Sky

Mandy Walker -- Australia

Best Music Score:

David Hirschfelder -- Australia

Antony Partos -- Unfinished Sky

Cezary Skubiszewski -- Death Defying Acts

Michael Yezerski -- The Black Balloon

Best Supporting Actor:

Joel Edgerton -- The Square

Luke Ford -- The Black Balloon

Anthony Hayes -- The Square

Brandon Walters -- Australia

Best Supporting Actress:

Toni Collette -- The Black Balloon

Maeve Dermody -- Black Water

Leeanna Walsman -- Bitter & Twisted

Saoirse Ronan -- Death Defying Acts

Best Feature Documentary:

Celebrity: Dominick Dunne -- dirs: Kirsty De Garis, Timothy Jolley; prods: Kirsty De Garis, Timothy Jolley, Sue Maslin, Daryl Dellora

Glass: A Portrait Of Philip In Twelve Parts -- dir: Scott Hicks; prods: Hicks, Susanne Preissler

Not Quite Hollywood -- dir: Mark Hartley; prods: Craig Griffin, Michael Lynch

Salute -- dir: Matt Norman; prod: Matt Norman, David Redman

Special Documentary Jury Prize (Two Categories):

Feature Documentary:

Bastardy - dir: Amiel Courtin-Wilson; prod: Philippa Campey

Lionel -- dir: Eddie Martin; prod: Lizzette Atkins

Not Quite Hollywood -- dir: Mark Hartley; prods: Craig Griffin, Michael Lynch

Whatever Happened To Brenda Hean' -- dir: Scott Millwood; prods: Michael McMahon, Scott Millwood

Short Documentary: Under 60 Mins:

The Cars That Ate China -- dir: Stefan Moore; prods: Stefan Moore, Susan Lambert, Frank Haines

A Northern Town -- dir: Rachel Landers; prod: Dylan Blowen

Rare Chicken Rescue -- dir: Randall Wood; prods: Trish Lake, Vickie Gest

Spirit Stones -- dir: Allan Collins; prod: Jennifer Gherardi

Best Foreign Film - English Language:

In Bruges -- director Martin Mcdonagh; distributor Icon Films

Slumdog Millionaire -- directors Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan; distributor Icon Films

There Will Be Blood -- director Paul Thomas Anderson; distributor Walt Disney Studios

Wall.E - director Andrew Stanton; distributor Walt Disney Studios

Best Foreign Language Film:

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly -- director Julian Schnabel; distributor Icon Films

The Edge Of Heaven -- director Fatih Akin; distributor Sharmill Films

I've Loved You So Long -- director Philippe Claudel; distributor Palace Films

Waltz With Bashir -- director Ari Folman, distributor Sharmill Films

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