Discover the Oscar 2025 Shortlist Revealed International Feature Film Shortlist with 15 powerful global films, landmark debuts and groundbreaking cinema from around the world.
The shortlist for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards is out, and what a lineup. The extraordinary year for international cinema is reflected in a selection that is truly outstanding. With 15 dazzling films from a wide range of countries and narrative traditions, the international category confirms just how far-reaching the cinematic language really is. From intimate character studies to grand historical dramas, these films address universal human experiences and offer unique cultural viewpoints.
And what makes this year even more special is the presence of Iraq’s The President’s Cake among the shortlist – a first in the country’s history for a film to make it beyond submission. It’s a groundbreaking success that shows how cinema can cross borders and political barriers to bring the stories of countries voices that are often missing in global film talks.
In addition, Brazil’s “I’m Still Here” and France’s “Emilia Pérez,” have already done the unthinkable – Both are nominated for Best Picture in addition to their International Feature nominations.It’s the first year two non-English language films will be up for Best Picture, marking a monumental year for the way the Academy views foreign-language storytelling.
“I’m Still Here” (Brazil) is still among the shrewdest bets, following an astonishing success path. Directed by Walter Salles and with the legendary Fernanda Montenegro (who is also joined by Fernanda Torres in the film) this political biographical drama centers on Eunice Paiva, a mother and activist struggling with the disappearance of her husband during Brazil’s military regime.
Torres has already made history as the first Brazilian actress to ever receive a Golden Globe award in a performance category, shining an international spotlight on this intimate yet politically charged story.
“Emilia Pérez” (France) which continues to captivate with its daring mode of telling a story. Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical crime film in which Karla Sofía Gascón stars as a Mexican cartel leader trying to flee and become her true self, with the aid of a lawyer played by Zoe Saldaña.
Although it has divided audiences–praised for its direction and performances and mocked in Mexico for its cultural representations–its 13 Oscar nominations are proof that it shook the international film scene.
“Homebound” (India) grants a profoundly humanistic gaze upon two best friends as they navigate the cold structural realities of India. Set in present-day India, there is Ulrike Ottinger (Johanna d’Arc) and then Marty Scorsese attached as exec producer on this Karan Johar-produced NIRANJAN GHAYWAN-directed drama, employing Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa as Chandan, a Dalit, and Shoaib, a Muslim, who aspire to become police officers as a means to flee the the daily humiliation of caste/religious bias.
Their hushed conversations while sitting on the riverbank could tell you all you need to know about friendship, solidarity, and a desire to transcend systematized oppression. What allows this film to resonate on a global scale is the way it manages to address the specific social issues in India, while telling a story that everyone can relate to when it comes to dreaming about “belonging.”
“The Secret Agent” (Brazil) however, presents a different side of Brazil’s historical trauma in the figure of ex-teacher Armando, living under the military regime in 1977. Starring Wagner Moura, this political thriller combines resistance, escape attempts and personal survival during one of Latin America’s bleakest eras.
“Sound of Falling” (Germany) is a haunting reflection on history and inherited trauma. This German drama spans four generations of girls at a single farmstead in the Altmark region over the course of the 20th century – from before World War to the 21st century. In addressing guilt, abuse and national memory through the prism of rural family life, the movie asks how historical violence infiltrates families and landscapes.
“All That’s Left of You” (Jordan) follows a single Palestinian family across seven decades as it endures displacement, resistance, and survival. Director and star Cherien Dabis infuses her own family’s generational trauma in this sweeping saga, which was filmed in four countries—in Palestinian refugee camps—after the October 7 escalation of conflict. It does not simplify, portraying how political violence impacts individuals even as it celebrates the resilience of collective life.
“A President’s Cake” (Iraq) is lamia’s story, a nine-year-old girl who makes a desperate run in 1990s Iraq to collect the ingredients necessary for making the required presidential birthday cake. Against the setting of sanctions and dictatorship, the tone is at once darkly comedic and subtly explores issues such as childhood endurance, the ludicrous nature of authoritarian regimes and how far the human spirit can be pushed while living under oppressive conditions.
“Palestine 36” (Palestine), by Annemarie Jacir, returns to the 1936 Arab uprising against the British mandate, based on extensive archival material to follow Palestinian laborers and militants in the nascent stages of dispossession.
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia), a docudrama by Kaouther Ben Hania, investigates the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab at the hands of the Israel Defense Forces and the Red Crescent’s treatment of the incident. The film received the prestigious Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, where it was said to have been greeted by the longest standing ovation in the history of the festival. From executive producers Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Alfonso Cuarón, and Rooney Mara, this film is one of the most important in contemporary global consciousness.
“Late Shift” (Switzerland), by Petra Volpe, rethinks the hospital thriller from the perspective of an overburdened nurse, Floria, on a disastrous night shift. In a time when a global shortage of thirteen million nurses is predicted, this film has ignited policy dialogues across Europe while garnering unexpected box office success in German-speaking countries.
“Kokuho” (Japan) is a groundbreaking achievement in Japanese cinema—smashing the domestic box office record for live action films with over $112 million. Set against this background, this sweeping drama, directed by Lee Sang-il and featuring Ken Watanabe, depicts a man who rejects his yakuza family roots to pursue a life as a celebrated Kabuki actor over the course of five decades. The film has been so successful that Tom Cruise himself introduced special Academy screenings.
‘Left-Handed Girl’ (Taiwan) by Shih-Ching Tsou, with Sean Baker as co-writer and editor, is about a single mom and two daughters coming back to Taipei to run a noodle stall at a night market. Shot entirely on an iPhone, the film is a blend of intimate family portraiture and cultural specificity that was met with universal critical praise and garnered awards at several international film festivals.
Belén (Argentina), from the director and lead Dolores Fonzi, is based on the real-life struggle of lawyer Soledad Deza to win the release of Julieta, a woman who was thrown behind bars in a nation with notoriously complicated abortion laws after suffering a miscarriage. This courtroom drama sparked women’s rights activism in Argentina and has relevance in global conversations on reproductive justice.
“No Other Choice,” spearheaded by Park Chan-wook, is a darkly comedic thriller adaptation of Donald Westlake’s The Ax. The plot chronicles the life of an unemployed man who turns to killing as a way to get a job. With Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin, it is Chan-wook’s highest grossing film opener in South Korea. The film deals with themes of hopelessness, class stratification and modern capitalism’s brutal realities, and continues the tradition of questioning these issues in entertaining and intellectually challenging cinema.
Sirât (Spain) awarded the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival – narrates the story of a father and a son in pursuit of the man’s kidnapped daughter in the arid lands of southern Morocco. Soon a personal mission is transformed into an end-of-the-world trek when global warfare breaks out, weaving family drama with science-fiction filmmaking.
The International Feature category lineup for 2025 shows that filmmakers from around the world continue to boldly confront their nations’ most complicated histories, social issues and current crises. These films resist simplifications, instead they dwell with an ambiguous, traumatized, and resilient population confronting the seemingly impossible.
Even if their ambition is modest, by focusing on characters or making sweeping historical narratives, specific cultural contexts or universal strings, all the 15 films bring us vision why international cinema should matter, it is a window into how people from the different parts of the world experience love, loss, justice and hope.
The bizarre, darkly comic human story telling of Jia Zhangke, Ida and The Good Boss among other illustrious contenders on the Oscar 2025 International Feature shortlist point to a boom year for world cinema, with provocative films, historic firsts and non-English language productions all firmly at the heart of the Academy discussion. These films demonstrate that compelling storytelling has no nationality, and that international filmmakers are defining the future of cinema.
As the Academy pares down this shortlist to five nominees in the weeks ahead, audiences around the world have been bestowed an extraordinary gift: a handpicked group of vital contemporary films that insist on being seen and heard.
Fandomfans gives a quick overview of the Oscar 2025 Best International Feature Film shortlist, focusing on their deep storyline and performance.
Johnny Depp has made a powerful return to Hollywood with the dark Gothic reimagining of A Christmas Carol, marking a major comeback in his acting career.
In the world of Hollywood, nothing is more seductive than a comeback. For Johnny Depp, that moment has now come at a grand scale. The actor’s evolution from European art house cinema to a big studio production such as Paramount’s “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol” is a remarkable twist in his career, combining his artistic roots with broad commercial appeal.
Set for theatrical release on November 13, 2026, the movie claims that it’s a “riveting, terrifying reimagining” of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic novella. This version explores the eerie supernatural origins of the traditional tale and turns it into a thriller ghost tale somewhat reminiscent of more traditional holiday the theatre narratives.
From Ti West, the visionary behind the acclaimed atmospheric horror gems X, Pearl, and MaXXXine, comes this take that is sure to be a “technicolor nightmare.” West’s talent for infusing psychological terror into period pieces makes him the ideal auteur to reimagine Victorian London as a desolate, alien, and horrifying place.
Depp is set to take on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, a character he has been a longtime fan of, particularly Alastair Sim’s 1951 version. But sources say Depp has a “different angle” in mind, emphasizing the internal haunting rather than the external, and the emotional heft of a “night of reckoning.”
Paramount isn’t just banking on Depp’s “bankability”; they’ve surrounded him with a “who’s who” of franchise royalty that it will surely cover all demographic bases.
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The timing of this release is a lesson in studio politics. Releasing in mid-November, Paramount sidesteps the December “family film” stampede and gives this supernatural thriller a chance to build a long-term presence on the box office. It also makes Depp’s return perhaps the key event of the 2026 awards season.
Strangely, this will set up a “Scrooge Showdown,” as Warner Bros. is said to be working on its own shadowy version with Robert Eggers (The Witch). Yet with West’s gift for “elevated horror” and a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern, Paramount takes the bait as the “thriller” audience to catch.
The story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s turnaround feels especially powerful when taken alongside Johnny Depp’s career trajectory. It’s a curious layer to the film’s overall appeal, as moviegoers may be swept into a compelling fictional redemption arc while Depp makes a real-world career comeback, merging storytelling with the actor’s personal and professional revival. This two-faced approach not only adds narrative depth but also gives the marketing strategy an extra layer of tactical complexity.
Depp has a busy schedule and Ebenezer has only one date. He just finished the Lionsgate thriller Day Drinker with Penélope Cruz and the makers of his directorial effort, Modi, are seeing the light of theaters.
Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol doesn’t have the feeling of being a routine adaptation, as much as that can be said about any retelling of that story. In bringing together Johnny Depp’s long-promised return to studio filmmaking with Ti West’s unsettling vision, Paramount is going to go with atmosphere over nostalgia, and introspection over sentimentality.
The film’s darker perspective along with the prestige-laden cast and strategically timed release makes the film a commercial risk and an awards season conversation piece.
More to the point, it turns a well-worn ghost story into something deeply resonant and of the moment — a story of reckoning, isolation, and second chances. If it sticks, it won’t just be Depp’s comeback, it could be a way of reimagining how classic literature can be adapted for modern, thrill-seeking audiences.
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These 10 films aren't just entertainment - they inspire us to persevere, value love, and never lose hope. Watch them to gain a radically new perspective on your own journey.
Movies have the ability to inspire and can change your life. They take us to other places and make us question our beliefs. Films allow us to perceive the multi-dimensionality of the human life.
These 10 iconic films that will alter your perception of life. These are not just entertaining movies but also educating and giving you lesson to life with some good take away.
The Shawshank Redemptionis regarded as one of the best films of all time. It tracks the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who is falsely accused of his wife’s murder. Andy also remains hopeful and dignified in the brutal environment of Shawshank prison.
The message is “The power of perseverance and hope.” Its iconic phrase, “Get busy living or get busy dying,” resonates with the audience.It motivates people to confront life’s obstacles directly and not to give up, whatever the difficulties.
Forrest Gump is the story of a retarded man who ends up influencing the course of history twice. His straightforward, poignant perspective on life teaches us about love, friendship and the surprises life has in store.
Forrest’s memorable line, “Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get,” encourages us to greet life’s mysteries with an open mind and take pleasure in surprises. The film invites us to walk through life, one step at a time.
A Beautiful Mind is the true story of the great mathematician John Nash. The movie portrays his battle with schizophrenia. It chronicles his path to coming to terms with his illness and gaining insight. The film stresses the one thing people need for love to stick: a little help from the people around them.
It underscores the fact that it’s these relationships that help us overcome ourselves. The film is a call for people to put mental health stigma behind them. The movie teaches a lot more than just relationships and love, it teaches us to learn the value of the richness of every person’s narrative.
The title gives the meaning of life to a single father named Chris Gardner to chase a dream of a happy little family. He struggles to keep his son out of poverty while working as a salesman in a brokerage firm.
Will Smith delivers a powerful, uplifting portrayal of Gardner. The film conveys that you achieve success by working hard and not giving up.
Good Will Hunting is the story of a young janitor at MIT who has a gift for mathematics but is emotionally stifled by past trauma. He also receives assistance from a counselor, portrayed by Robin Williams.
With therapy, Will learns to confront his demons and achieve his potential. The film illustrates the power of mentorship, self-discovery and emotional healing. It’s an excellent watch if you’re someone who struggles with your identity or just your stuff.
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In “Dead Poets Society”, an English teacher inspires his students to live by “carpe diem,” instilling in them the need to make the most of every day and follow their dreams. He emphasizes the use of poetry for personal expression and individuality, encouraging them to confront adversity and find peace and meaning through creative work.
Robin Williams’ character: Life is too short. He encourages the audience to live passionately and truly, to defy societal norms and conformity.
Life Is Beautiful is an italian motion picture that recounts the experiences of the Jewish Guido Orefice during World War II. He relies on humor and nothing more than imagination to shield his child in a concentration camp. The film demonstrates that even in the darkest times love shines through.
It imparts courage, optimism, and the strength that comes from thinking positively. This tale is profoundly moving and it teaches us the value of love and hope no matter how difficult the circumstances.
The new film Everything Everywhere All At Once examines issues of identity, family and existentialism. It is multiverse storytelling.
It’s a film that urges us to reconsider some of our decisions and connections. It’s a method of how to get through life’s storm. The distinctive narrative format redefines conventional storylines. It makes you think about where you fit in a big, growing universe.”
Slumdog Millionaire is the story of Jamal Malik, an underprivileged young man from the slums of India’s bustling financial capital, Mumbai. He’s on a game show competing for his future. As he plays, he flashes back to moments in his past that brought him here.
Themes of destiny, love and survival are prevalent throughout the film. It gives hope to those who are going through difficult time to hold on to their dreams.
Pan’s Labyrinth takes place in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. It’s about a young girl called Ofelia, who comes across a mythical labyrinth. The tale combines fantasy and brutal reality.
It teaches them how to appreciate the world, how to value life, and how to understand the beauty of a cruel world. The movie celebrates imagination as a refuge from pain. It compels one to confront harsh realities while feeling solace and upliftment via the medium of creativity.
These amazing movies are not only entertaining and enjoyable, but they make us stop and think about our lives! They offer profound life lessons for personal growth. If you are struggling or just want to see things differently, these are the movies for you. They’re a better way to know yourself and a better way for you to see the world.
Life becomes truly difficult, and these movies remind us we are not isolated. They motivate us to cling to hope, be strong, and open our hearts to beauty and imagination. So, grab your popcorn, sit back and prepare yourself for an unforgettable ride. These movies change you in ways you can’t even conceive.
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