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The five films that France is submitting for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, which will take place on 15th March, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, have been formally announced as the competition for Oscar glory begins. Following suggestions from the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée), Culture Minister Rachida Dati created a redesigned 11-member French selection committee to ratify the shortlist.
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These five candidates, who have all made an impression at significant festival circuits, will now wait until 17th September for the committee's final selection. Since 1993's 'Indochine,' France has not won an Oscar in this category.
Slate of Contenders: The Five Shortlisted Films
Richard Linklater's 'Nouvelle Vague,' Jafar Panahi's 'It Was Just An Accident,' Rebecca Zlotowski's 'A Private Life,' Hafsia Herzi's 'The Little Sister,' and Ugo Bienvenu's 'Arco' are on the French shortlist.
Starring Guillaume Marbeck and Zoey Deutch, 'Nouvelle Vague' is a meta-biopic about Jean-Luc Godard and the first time France has considered a U.S. director's film as its official submission. 'It Was Just An Accident,' Panahi's Palme d'Or co‑production, confronts the past when former political prisoners face the guard who tortured them.
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The French film 'A Private Life,' starring Jodie Foster, centers on a psychiatrist who is looking into the possible murder of one of her patients.
'The Little Sister' is a coming‑of‑age drama exploring sexuality and faith, with its lead Nadia Melliti already awarded Best Actress at Cannes. Last but not least, 'Arco' is a 2D animated movie about a boy wearing a rainbow suit who gets stuck in the incorrect historical period after traveling through time.
The Stakes, Rules & Process Behind the Selection
A newly formed 11-member committee that met the Academy's eligibility requirements and had at least half of its members be artists or crew members were responsible for selecting France's application. They will hear pitches from each film's producers, international sales agents, and U.S. distributors on 17th September before deciding which of the selected films moves ahead, following discussions on 10th September.
The Academy's entry deadline for the Best International Feature category is 1st October, 2025, and submissions must be theatrically released in their home country between 1st October, 2024, and 30th September, 2025. On 16th December, 2025, a global shortlist of 15 films will be revealed, and on 22nd January, 2026, the final five nominees will be revealed.
As of September 2025, the official list of submissions for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category is still being finalized. Countries are in the process of selecting and submitting their entries, with some already announced and others pending.
