The Oscars have never been more international – yet their international film category remains mired in controversy. While record-breaking global nominees like Emilia Pérez dominate awards season, systemic flaws plague how countries select entries for Hollywood’s most prestigious international honor.
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s journey exemplifies the problem. His film The Seed of the Sacred Fig earned a 2024 nomination – under Germany’s banner. Rasoulof fled Iran after facing imprisonment and flogging, rendering his politically charged work ineligible for submission by its home country.
he told reporters.‘I’m a person who’s been ripped of his Iranian national identity,’
The Academy’s one-country, one-film rule sparks recurring conflicts:
- India’s all-male selection committee rejected Cannes darling All We Imagine As Light, labeling it ‘too European’
- Greek filmmakers boycotted 2024 submissions after government meddling in committee appointments
- Russia and China routinely block critical filmmakers through state-controlled selection bodies
Despite 2023 reforms requiring selection panels to include 50% film professionals, subjectivity persists. Payal Kapadia, director of India’s snubbed entry, questioned the logic behind her country’s choice:
‘What is Indian? There’s a lot of Indias. The committee was 13 men – is that very Indian?’
Academy administrators face mounting pressure to overhaul the category. Proposed solutions include:
- Replacing national committees with an independent Academy panel
- Expanding nominees to 10 films like Best Picture
- Allowing multiple submissions per country
While politics dominate discussions, Latvia’s dialogue-free animated entry Flow offers rare harmony – proving innovation still thrives within the fractured system. As global cinema evolves, the Oscars’ outdated framework risks alienating the very filmmakers they aim to celebrate.
