The Academy on Tuesday unveiled the 15-film shortlist for the 98th Oscars international feature race, cutting the field after 86 countries or regions qualified in the category. The contenders advancing to the next round are Argentina’s “Belén,” Brazil’s “The Secret Agent,” France’s “It Was Just an Accident,” Germany’s “Sound of Falling,” India’s “Homebound,” Iraq’s “The President’s Cake,” Japan’s “Kokuho,” Jordan’s “All That’s Left of You,” Norway’s “Sentimental Value,” Palestine’s “Palestine 36,” South Korea’s “No Other Choice,” Spain’s “Sirât,” Switzerland’s “Late Shift,” Taiwan’s “Left-Handed Girl,” and Tunisia’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab.”
The shortlist signals a year when politically charged stories sit alongside quieter family dramas. The slate includes four Arab entries, a clustering that highlights how the category can track current events and regional cinema momentum at the same time. Tunisia’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” for example, draws on the widely reported 2024 death of five-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza and centers on the frantic effort to reach her as communications and approvals bog down rescue attempts.
Campaign strategists will also watch which titles show strength outside the international lane. “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value” and “Sirât” appeared on the Academy’s new casting shortlist, a sign that multiple branches are paying attention well before nominations. “Sentimental Value” has already built awards-season visibility in Europe, where it led the European Film Awards nominations announced in November.
The Academy’s rules put extra weight on viewing compliance in this phase: members must meet a minimum viewing requirement to vote in the preliminary round, and voters who opt in for nominations must watch all 15 shortlisted films. Nominations voting runs Jan. 12–16, with nominations set for Jan. 22. The Oscars ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026, on ABC, hosted by Conan O’Brien.
