Oscar 2027: These countries are already in the race for the International Oscar

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Oscar 2027: These countries are already in the race for the International Oscar.

Who is sending which film into the race for the 2027 International Oscar? The lists are filling up – and the clock is ticking: countries must have submitted their official entries to the Academy by October 1. China, Syria, Denmark, Italy and France have already named their candidates, according to trade publication Variety. More countries will follow in the coming weeks.

What does this mean for you? If you love international films, the 2027 Oscar season is your chance to get an early look at what your favorite cinema is sending into the race. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 14 – until then, it's a long road on which films from around the world battle for one of the coveted nominations.

Who is in the race so far?

The list reads like a map of world cinema. Alongside the countries mentioned, the continuously updated overviews also include India, Vietnam and Cuba – so individual country lists can differ slightly, depending on when they were last updated. Another trade overview (Outlook India) names these three countries as well.

Specific films are also already known: Syria is sending "The Other Side of the Sun" into the race, while Pakistan, according to trade platform Screen International, is entering with "Hanging by a Wire." Both productions are already being profiled in the international trade press.

What happens next until the shortlist?

After the October 1 deadline, the Academy reviews the submissions. The shortlist will be announced on December 15 – at which point only 15 international films remain in the running. All Academy members from every branch are eligible to vote, provided they commit to actually watching all 15 films. Only then are the nominations set, with the final awards following on March 14.

What this means for film fans

If you want to know what's in the race, it's worth checking the continuously updated overview at Variety. The list will be added to as soon as new countries announce their entries – so you stay up to date on the question: which film from your corner of the world has a shot at the big stage this time?

Have fun browsing – and see you at the ceremony on March 14.