81 Countries Compete for Five Slots at the Oscars

The number 5 has never seemed so small as this year – not just for the top acting categories, but for the Documentary and Foreign Language categories. This year, there will be 81 films competing for one of those five slots. Son of Saul is likely the winner, however. Here are the contenders:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director;

Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors;

Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director;

Argentina, “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director;

Australia, “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director;

Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;

Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;

Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;

Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;

Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;

Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho Kulikar, director;

Canada, “Félix and Meira,” Maxime Giroux, director;

Chile, “The Club,” Pablo Larraín, director;

China, “Go Away Mr. Tumor,” Han Yan, director;

Colombia, “Embrace of the Serpent,” Ciro Guerra, director;

Costa Rica, “Imprisoned,” Esteban Ramírez, director;

Croatia, “The High Sun,” Dalibor Matanić, director;

Czech Republic, “Home Care,” Slavek Horak, director;

Denmark, “A War,” Tobias Lindholm, director;

Dominican Republic, “Sand Dollars,” Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas, directors;

Estonia, “1944,” Elmo Nüganen, director;

Ethiopia, “Lamb,” Yared Zeleke, director;

Finland, “The Fencer,” Klaus Härö, director;

France, “Mustang,” Deniz Gamze Ergüven, director;

Georgia, “Moira,” Levan Tutberidze, director;

Germany, “Labyrinth of Lies,” Giulio Ricciarelli, director;

Greece, “Xenia,” Panos H. Koutras, director;

Guatemala, “Ixcanul,” Jayro Bustamante, director;

Hong Kong, “To the Fore,” Dante Lam, director;

Hungary, “Son of Saul,” László Nemes, director;

Iceland, “Rams,” Grímur Hákonarson, director;

India, “Court,” Chaitanya Tamhane, director;

Iran, “Muhammad: The Messenger of God,” Majid Majidi, director;

Iraq, “Memories on Stone,” Shawkat Amin Korki, director;

Ireland, “Viva,” Paddy Breathnach, director;

Israel, “Baba Joon,” Yuval Delshad, director;

Italy, “Don’t Be Bad,” Claudio Caligari, director;

Ivory Coast, “Run,” Philippe Lacôte, director;

Japan, “100 Yen Love,” Masaharu Take, director;

Jordan, “Theeb,” Naji Abu Nowar, director;

Kazakhstan, “Stranger,” Yermek Tursunov, director;

Kosovo, “Babai,” Visar Morina, director;

Kyrgyzstan, “Heavenly Nomadic,” Mirlan Abdykalykov, director;

Latvia, “Modris,” Juris Kursietis, director;

Lebanon, “Void,” Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle

Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Haber, directors;

Lithuania, “The Summer of Sangaile,” Alanté Kavaïté, director;

Luxembourg, “Baby (A)lone,” Donato Rotunno, director;

Macedonia, “Honey Night,” Ivo Trajkov, director;

Malaysia, “Men Who Save the World,” Liew Seng Tat, director;

Mexico, “600 Miles,” Gabriel Ripstein, director;

Montenegro, “You Carry Me,” Ivona Juka, director;

Morocco, “Aida,” Driss Mrini, director;

Nepal, “Talakjung vs Tulke,” Basnet Nischal, director;

Netherlands, “The Paradise Suite,” Joost van Ginkel, director;

Norway, “The Wave,” Roar Uthaug, director;

Pakistan, “Moor,” Jami, director;

Palestine, “The Wanted 18,” Amer Shomali, Paul Cowan, directors;

Paraguay, “Cloudy Times,” Arami Ullón, director;

Peru, “NN,” Héctor Gálvez, director;

Philippines, “Heneral Luna,” Jerrold Tarog, director;

Poland, “11 Minutes,” Jerzy Skolimowski, director;

Portugal, “Arabian Nights – Volume 2, The Desolate One,” Miguel Gomes, director;

Romania, “Aferim!” Radu Jude, director;

Russia, “Sunstroke,” Nikita Mikhalkov, director;

Serbia, “Enclave,” Goran Radovanović, director;

Singapore, “7 Letters,” Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong, Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin,

Boo Junfeng, K. Rajagopal, directors;

Slovakia, “Goat,” Ivan Ostrochovský, director;

Slovenia, “The Tree,” Sonja Prosenc, director;

South Africa, “The Two of Us,” Ernest Nkosi, director;

South Korea, “The Throne,” Lee Joon-ik, director;

Spain, “Flowers,” Jon Garaño, Jose Mari Goenaga, directors;

Sweden, “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Roy Andersson, director;

Switzerland, “Iraqi Odyssey,” Samir, director;

Taiwan, “The Assassin,” Hou Hsiao-hsien, director;

Thailand, “How to Win at Checkers (Every Time),” Josh Kim, director;

Turkey, “Sivas,” Kaan Müjdeci, director;

United Kingdom, “Under Milk Wood,” Kevin Allen, director;

Uruguay, “A Moonless Night,” Germán Tejeira, director;

Venezuela, “Gone with the River,” Mario Crespo, director;

Vietnam, “Jackpot,” Dustin Nguyen, director.