Home / Arts and Entertainment / Oscars' Best International Feature Film Race Sees 86 Contenders
Oscars' Best International Feature Film Race Sees 86 Contenders
25 Oct
Summary
- 86 films assigned to voters, up from 85 last year
- Highest profile films include "Sentimental Value," "The Voice of Hind Rajab," and "It Was Just an Accident"
- First-round voting takes place from Dec. 9 to 12, with a shortlist of 15 films announced on Dec. 17

As of 2025-10-25T02:13:32+00:00, the Oscars' Best International Feature Film category has 86 contenders, one more than the 85 films that qualified last year. This year's lineup includes several high-profile titles, such as Norway's "Sentimental Value," Tunisia's "The Voice of Hind Rajab," and France's "It Was Just an Accident."
The record number of 93 entries was set in 2020, and the number of contenders has topped 90 five times in the past six years. However, the total fell to 88 in 2023 and then 85 last year before rising to 86 this year.
The first round of voting for the category will take place from December 9 to 12, with a shortlist of 15 films to be announced on December 17. A second round of voting, open to any member who has seen the 15 shortlisted films, will then narrow the selection down to the final five nominees.
At the time the assignments were made, 57 of the 86 titles were already available in the Academy Screening Room devoted to the category, allowing voters to access the films with ease.




