As the Academy Awards continue to celebrate the best achievements in cinema, international films nominated for Best Picture have always held a special kind of prestige. Since its inaugural award ceremony in 1929, the Oscars have traditionally favored Hollywood productions. However, the inclusion of non-English language films in the top category marked significant turning points in film award history. These nominations not only reflect the growing global influence of cinema but also challenge the dominance of Hollywood storytelling by bringing diverse perspectives, languages, and cultures to the industry’s biggest stage.
However, the journey has been a slow one. Although the first international film was nominated for Best Picture in 1938, for decades these nominations were viewed as exceptions rather than the norm. Yet, each milestone has brought recognition to filmmakers outside of Hollywood. As of the 2025 Oscars, fewer than 20 international films have earned a coveted spot in the Best Picture race. Here’s a complete list of international films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
1. Grand Illusion (1937) — France
Original Title: La Grande Illusion
Nominated At: The 11th Academy Awards in 1938
Jean Renoir’s war drama Grand Illusion was the first foreign language film to earn a Best Picture nomination (with the category named Outstanding Production at the time). Its nomination set a precedent that international cinema could compete on Hollywood’s biggest night. The French World War I drama explored class, camaraderie, and the futility of conflict. Although it didn’t win, losing to Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take It with You, its nomination was groundbreaking in signaling that the Academy was paying attention to world cinema.
2. Z (1969) — France/Algeria
Original Title: Z
Nominated At: The 42nd Academy Awards in 1970
The next time an international film was nominated for Best Picture was in 1970, 32 years after the first nomination. Costa-Gavras’ political thriller Z became the next milestone. Its plot was a sharp critique of authoritarian regimes that was as thrilling as it was politically charged. Z’s nomination highlighted how international films nominated for Best Picture could also be deeply political and topical. Besides its Best Picture nomination, the film also received a nomination, which it won, for Best Foreign Language Film. As such, Z became the first international film to be nominated for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film.
3. The Emigrants (1971) — Sweden
Original Title: Utvandrarna
Nominated At: The 45th Academy Awards in 1973
Sweden entered the Best Picture race with Jan Troell’s drama The Emigrants. The film is a historical epic about a family leaving their homeland to immigrate to America. The movie reflected the universal immigrant experience, making it especially poignant to American film audiences. While it received a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1972, it was nominated for Best Picture in 1973.
4. Cries and Whispers (1972) — Sweden
Original Title: Viskningar och rop
Nominated At: The 46th Academy Awards in 1974
Sweden followed up quickly with another film, making it the first country to have its international film nominated for Best Picture, and in succession. The Ingmar Bergman tragedy film Cries and Whispers has become a classic, renowned for its stark visuals and emotionally devastating story. It centers on three sisters and a servant grappling with illness and mortality. For many, the nomination of Cries and Whispers symbolized the Academy’s finally embracing auteur-driven international storytelling.
5. Il Postino: The Postman (1994) — Italy
Original Title: Il postino
Nominated At: The 68th Academy Awards in 1995
Twenty-two years later, Italy had one of its films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Il Postino: The Postman is a gentle, poetic tale about a postman who befriends a famous poet, Pablo Neruda (portrayed by Philippe Noiret). Il Postino: The Postman’s nomination reignited discussions about the place of international films at the Oscars.
6. Life Is Beautiful (1997) — Italy
Original Title: La vita è bella
Nominated At: The 71st Academy Awards in 1999
Just three years later, Italy made a bigger splash with Roberto Benigni’s period comedy-drama Life Is Beautiful. The movie balanced humor and heartbreak while portraying the Holocaust through a father’s optimism. Not only did Life Is Beautiful earn a Best Picture nomination, but it also won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor. Roberto Benigni’s win for Best Actor created a record, as he was the first non-English actor to achieve it. The movie also won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score at the 71st Academy Awards.
7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) — Taiwan/China/Hong Kong
Original Title: Wòhǔ Cánglóng/臥虎藏龍/ 卧虎藏龙
Nominated At: The 73rd Academy Awards in 2001
Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon changed the game. The wuxia epic wasn’t just another martial arts film but quickly became an international Box Office phenomenon. Its sweeping romance, gravity-defying fight sequences, and storyline captivated global audiences. With ten Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and four wins, it proved that international films nominated for Best Picture could also dominate at the Oscars.
8. Amour (2012) — Austria/France/Germany
Original Title: Amour
Nominated At: The 85th Academy Awards in 2013
Michael Haneke’s devastating drama Amour put Austria in the spotlight. The story of an elderly couple facing illness and mortality was intimate yet universal. The film’s raw honesty about human fragility made it one of the most powerful international films nominated for Best Picture. Its nomination proved that quiet, emotional international films could still resonate in a Hollywood landscape dominated by blockbusters.
9. Roma (2018) — Mexico
Original Title: Roma
Nominated At: The 91st Academy Awards in 2019
Alfonso Cuarón’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece became the first Netflix original to be nominated for Best Picture. Shot in black and white, Roma chronicled domestic life in early 1970s Mexico City. While it didn’t win for Best Picture, Roma picked up three other Oscars, including Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Foreign Language Film (the first Mexican film to do so).
10. Parasite (2019) — South Korean
Original Title: Gisaengchung
Nominated At: The 92nd Academy Awards in 2020
Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite made history as the first non-English language film to win Best Picture. Its sharp social satire, combined with thrilling twists, resonated with audiences across cultural lines. The victory wasn’t just a win for South Korea but a breakthrough for all international films nominated for Best Picture. Of its six nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, Parasite won four.
11. Drive My Car (2021) — Japan
Original Title: Doraibu mai kā
Nominated At: The 94th Academy Awards in 2022
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s drama Drive My Car offered a meditative, three-hour reflection on grief, art, and communication. Its nomination was seen as a triumph for Japanese cinema, echoing the quiet emotional power of films like Amour. Though it didn’t win, Drive My Car furthered the Academy’s growing embrace of international auteurs.
12. All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) — Germany
Original Title: Im Westen nichts Neues
Nominated At: The 95th Academy Awards in 2023
The German adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 anti-war novel stunned audiences with brutal realism. All Quiet on the Western Front received nine Oscar nominations, winning four. This Netflix-backed production reminded audiences that international war epics could still resonate nearly a century after the novel’s original publication.
13. Anatomy of a Fall (2023) — France
Original Title: Anatomie d’une chute
Nominated At: The 96th Academy Awards in 2024
The French legal drama Anatomy of a Fall emerged as one of the standout films of 2023. It earned several accolades for its gripping narrative and Sandra Hüller‘s lead performance. The movie, whose themes centered on truth, perception, and morality, first won the Palme d’Or and Palm Dog Award at the 76th Cannes Film Festival before earning a Best Picture nod from the Academy.
14. The Zone of Interest (2023) — Germany/Poland
Original Title: The Zone of Interest
Nominated At: The 96th Academy Awards in 2024
2023 was an amazing year for international films at the Oscars. Jonathan Glazer’s chilling Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest is told from the perspective of a Nazi officer’s family. Besides its widespread acclaim, the film’s nomination emphasized the Academy’s support for innovative approaches to historical storytelling. The Zone of Interest received five Oscar nominations and won two, Best International Feature Film and Best Sound.
15. Emilia Pérez (2024) — France/Mexico/Belgium
Original Title: Emilia Pérez
Nominated At: The 97th Academy Awards in 2025
Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language French musical crime film Emilia Pérez was one of two international films nominated for Best Picture in 2025. The film centers around the transformation of a feared Mexican cartel boss, Juan “Manitas” Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), who was assigned male at birth. Emilia Pérez stood out for its bold, genre-defying plot, oscillating between stylized musical numbers and gritty crime drama. Despite the controversies surrounding the film, Emilia Pérez received 12 Oscar nominations, winning two.
16. I’m Still Here (2024) — Brazil
Original Title: Ainda Estou Aqui
Nominated At: The 97th Academy Awards in 2025
Walter Salles’ political biographical drama I’m Still Here focuses on the life of Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres), a mother of five, whose husband is taken by government forces and disappears. It is the first Brazilian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Besides its Best Picture and Best Actress (Fernanda Torres) nominations, I’m Still Here received and won the 2025 Oscars’ Best International Feature category.
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