On Thursday (Jan. 28), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the official list of films that are eligible to compete for the Oscar for Best International Film at the 93rd Annual Academy Awards in April.
Of the 93 feature films under consideration for five nominations, 17 of them are from Latin American countries. On Feb. 9, the 93 films will be whittled down to a shortlist of 15 films. Then, the final five nominees will be announced March 15.
An Oscar for the Best International Film, formerly the Best Foreign Language Film, has been given out since the 20th Oscars ceremony in 1947. Italy has the most wins with 14 followed by France with 12.
The 93rd Annual Academy Awards will be shown in more than 225 countries and territories around the world on April 25. Below is a list of the 17 Latin American films competing and a little about their country’s history at the Oscars.
Argentina, The Sleepwalkers
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 47
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1961
Number of nominated films: 7
Number of winning films: 2 (1985’s The Official Story and 2009’s The Secret in Their Eyes)
Bolivia, Chaco
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 12
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1995
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Brazil, Babenco – Tell Me When I Die
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 48
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1960
Number of nominated films: 4
Number of winning films: 0
Chile, The Mole Agent
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 25
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1990
Number of nominated films: 2
Number of winning films: 1 (2017’s A Fantastic Woman)
Colombia, El Olvido Que Seremos (Memories of My Father)
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 29
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1980
Number of nominated films: 1
Number of winning films: 0
Costa Rica, Land of Ashes
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 9
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 2005
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Cuba, Buscando a Casal
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 22
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1978
Number of nominated films: 1
Number of winning films: 0
Dominican Republic, A State of Madness
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 13
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1983
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Ecuador, Emptiness
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 9
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 2000
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Guatemala, La Llorona
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 3
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1994
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Honduras, Days of Light
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 3
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 2017
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Mexico, I’m No Longer Here
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 53
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1957
Number of nominated films: 9
Number of winning films: 1 (2018’s Roma)
Panama, Operation Just Cause
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 7
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 2014
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Paraguay, Killing the Dead
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 4
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 2015
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
Peru, Song without a Name
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 27
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1967
Number of nominated films: 1
Number of winning films: 0
Uruguay, Aleli
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 20
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1992
Number of nominated films: 1* (In 1992, A Place in the World was nominated, but the nomination was rescinded after it was learned that the film was produced in Argentina).
Number of winning films: 0
Venezuela, Once upon a Time in Venezuela
Number of submitted films in country’s history: 30
First year a film was submitted for consideration: 1978
Number of nominated films: 0
Number of winning films: 0
