The list of foreign films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars is a short but remarkable one. For decades, Hollywood’s biggest night belonged almost exclusively to English-language cinema. However, a quiet, persistent shift has been underway, particularly over the last decade.
Since the first ever ceremony in 1929, only a handful of non-English films have broken through to earn a nomination for the Academy’s top prize, and in this list, we’re focusing purely on foreign productions. This means we are excluding any films with multiple international production companies behind them. So, let’s break them down and reveal the only one that has ever won.
The Grand Illusion (1938)
This 1938 French production became the first ever foreign movie to land a Best Picture nomination in 1939. Set during World War I, the story centres on two French soldiers who are captured and imprisoned in a German P.O.W. camp. After multiple escape attempts, they are sent to a seemingly inescapable fortress. Positioned as a prison escape film, the true heart of this story lies with the deep analysis of the consequences of the first World War.
Z (1969)
It took 30 years for a foreign film to land a Best Picture nomination following on from The Grand Illusion. Coming out of Algeria, Z hooked in Academy voters with its daring plot that fictionalized the assassination of a Greek political figure, a level of brazenness many American movies were lacking at the time. The film took home the prize for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Film Editing, but lost out on Best Picture to the Dustin Hoffman hit, Midnight Cowboy.
The Emigrants (1971)
Jan Troell’s The Emigrants stands as a monumental achievement among foreign films nominated for Best Picture. This 1971 Swedish epic chronicles the gruelling 19th-century journey of a peasant family seeking a better life in America. Starring international stars Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann, the film earned five Academy Award nominations across two different years, including Best Director and Best Actress. Its haunting realism and visual depth paved the way for more foreign films to be recognized in the Oscars’ top category, as after this an uptick was noticeable.
Cries And Whispers (1972)
Sweden made its way to the Oscars again in 1974 when savant filmmaker Ingmar Bergman wowed voters with Cries and Whispers. Although he had previously been nominated twice in the writing category, this female-led period drama saw him land a Best Picture nomination and Best Director nod. At the time, it was seen as a movie that provided underrepresented perspectives. By the time he passed away in 2007, Bergman had amassed nine Oscar nominations.
Il Postino: The Postman (1994)
After a 22-year gap, foreign films made a comeback at the Oscars in 1996 with Michael Radford‘s Il Postino: The Postman. A simple yet charming character study, this Italian film tells the story of a middle-of-the-road Italian postman who learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet. From here, he then uses his new-found way with words to woo a local beauty named Beatrice. Although it lost out on Best Picture to Mel Gibson‘s Braveheart, The Postman took home the gold for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score.
Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Italy returned bigger at the 1999 Oscars with Life is Beautiful, an eclectic movie that masterfully blends comedy, drama, and tragedy. Roberto Benigni’s magnum opus tells the poignant story of Guido, a Jewish librarian who uses humor and imagination to shield his young son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. This daring tonal balance resonated deeply, earning the film seven nominations and three historic wins: Best Actor, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Foreign Language Film. Today, it remains a cinematic masterpiece, currently ranked #27 on IMDb’s Top 250 movies.
Amour (2012)
Revitalizing French-language cinema’s presence at the Academy Awards, Michael Haneke’s devastatingly intimate drama Amour marked a significant milestone for foreign films nominated for Best Picture. Touching and heart-shattering at the same time, this film resonated with both audiences and critics with its stripped back approach, focusing on unflinching realism and emotional gravity. Amour won in the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year category but was beaten to Best Picture by Ben Affleck‘s Argo.
Roma (2018)
By 2018, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón had already proven himself as a powerful force in cinema. When he decided to partner with Netflix for Roma, many assumed he would be shut out of the Oscars. This year marked a major turning point for streaming movies to garner acceptance from prestigious award ceremonies. This period drama won three Oscars in 2019 – Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, Best Director, and Best Achievement in Cinematography. However, it failed to take home Best Motion Picture of the Year when Green Book bagged that privilege.
Parasite (2019)
In 2020, Parasite made history at the Academy Awards when it became the first ever foreign film to win Best Motion Picture of the Year. Now not even a decade after its release, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. In 2025, Bong Joon Ho‘s twisted dark comedy topped The New York Times‘ list of the top 100 movies of the 21st century.
Drive My Car (2021)
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car serves as a profound entry among foreign films nominated for Best Picture, marking the first Japanese-language recognition in this category since 2006 when Clint Eastwood delivered the international war movie, Letters From Iwo Jima. Charting a widowed theater director grappling with grief, we watch him transcend as he helms a multilingual production of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. This meditative slice of art broke through cultural barriers, earning four nominations and solidifying its reputation as a defining cinematic achievement of the decade.
Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
Anatomy of a Fall is a French legal thriller that elevates with mystery, suspense, and drama. Focusing on a woman attempting to prove her innocence when she is accused of murdering her husband, the real weight of the story lies with her half-blind son, who is the only witness to what actually happened. Nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Anatomy of a Fall won in the Best Original Screenplay category but lost out on the top prize to Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer.
Emilia Pérez (2024)
Despite landing a Best Picture nomination in 2025, Emilia Pérez quickly became controversial for its portrayal of Mexican culture. Although set in Mexico, the film was largely produced in France by French production companies. As of 2026, it is the lowest rated Best Picture nominee on IMDB, currently sitting at 5.3/10.
I’m Still Here (2024)
Another foreign film making its way to the Oscars in 2025 was I’m Still Here. Unlike Emilia Pérez, Walter Salles‘ docudrama was well-received and was also considered a major frontrunner early in the race. The story follows Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres), a woman married to a prominent politician during Brazil’s military dictatorship who, following a violent and capricious deed, is compelled to reinvent herself and choose a new path for her family. While it took home Best International Feature Film, it lost Best Picture to Sean Baker‘s Anora.
The Secret Agent (2025)
The Secret Agent was nominated for both Best International Feature Film and Best Motion Picture of the Year at the 2026 Oscars. Set amongst the political turmoil of 1977 Brazil, the film centres on a technology expert who is forced into hiding and turns to the underground resistance as he sets out to flee the country with his young son. Although critically lauded, Kleber Mendonça Filho‘s film failed to win in any of its four nominated categories, with Sinners and One Battle After Another dominating the night. Paul Thomas Anderson walked away with the top prize for the latter.
Sentimental Value (2025)
While Sinners now holds the record for the most nominated movie at the Academy Awards with 16 nominations, Sentimental Value holds the record for the most acting nominations ever received by a non-English language movie. This simple, character-driven story struck a note with audiences and critics and was a frontrunner early on before losing to One Battle After Another. However, it did rise triumphant in the Best International Feature Film category.
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