Don't Tell (Italy)
Directed by Cristina Comencini
This is the twenty-seventh Academy Award nomination for Italy. Italy has won ten Oscars: La Strada (1956), The Nights of Cabiria (1957), Federico Fellinis 8 (1963), Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1964), Investigation of a Citizen above Suspicion (1970), The Garden of the Finzi Continis (1971), Amarcord (1974), Cinema Paradiso (1989), Mediterraneo (1991) and Life Is Beautiful (1998).
Additionally, Italy received three Special/Honorary Awards prior to the establishment of the Foreign Language Film as a regular category in 1956: Shoe-Shine (1947), The Bicycle Thief (1949) and The Walls of Malapaga (1950) [shared with France]. Other previous nominations were The Usual Unidentified Thieves (1958), The Great War (1959), Kapo (1960), The Four Days of Naples (1962), Marriage Italian Style (1965), The Battle of Algiers (1966), The Girl with the Pistol (1968), Scent of a Woman (1975), Seven Beauties (1976), A Special Day (1977), Viva Italia! (1978), To Forget Venice (1979), Three Brothers (1981), The Family (1987), Open Doors (1990) and The Star Maker (1995).
Joyeux Nol (France)
Directed by Christian Carion, Merry Christmas world-premiered in thge 2005 Festival de Cannes.
This is the thirty-fourth Academy Award nomination for France. France has won nine Oscars: My Uncle (1958), Black Orpheus (1959), Sundays and Cybele (1962), A Man and a Woman (1966), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), Day for Night (1973), Madame Rosa (1977), Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978) and Indochine (1992).
Additionally, France received three Special/Honorary Awards prior to the establishment of the Foreign Language Film as a regular category in 1956: Monsieur Vincent (1948), The Walls of Malapaga (1950) [shared with Italy] and Forbidden Games (1952). Other previous nominations were Gervaise (1956), Gates of Paris (1957), La Vrit (1960), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), Live for Life (1967), Stolen Kisses (1968), My Night at Maud's (1969), Hoa-Binh (1970), Lacombe, Lucien (1974), Cousin, Cousine (1976), A Simple Story (1979), The Last Metro (1980), Coup de Torchon (“Clean Slate”) (1982), Entre Nous (1983), Three Men and a Cradle (1985), Betty Blue (1986), Au Revoir Les Enfants (Goodbye, Children) (1987), Camille Claudel (1989), Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), Ridicule (1996), East-West (1999), The Taste of Others (2000), Amlie (2001) and last years The Chorus (Les Choristes).
Paradise Now (The Palestinian Authority)
Directed by Hany Abu-Assad, Paradise Now played in Telluride, Toronto, and Sundance Film Festivals, before oprning in late September.
This is Palestines first Academy Award nomination.
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (Germany)
Directed by Marc Rothemund
This is the sixth Academy Award nomination for Germany. Previous nominations were The Nasty Girl (1990), Schtonk! (1992), Beyond Silence (1997), Nowhere in Africa (2002) which won the Oscar, and last years Downfall.
Prior to reunification in 1990, the Federal Republic of Germany received a total of eight Academy Award nominations. They were The Captain of Kopenick (1956), The Devil Came at Night (1957), Arms and the Man (1958), The Bridge (1959), The Pedestrian (1973), The Glass Cell (1978), The Tin Drum (1979) which won the Oscar, and Angry Harvest (1985). Also prior to reunification, the German Democratic Republic received oneAcademy Award nomination: Jacob, the Liar (1976).
Tsotsi (South Africa)
Directed by Gavin Hood
This is the second Academy Award nomination for South Africa, as its entry Yesterday was nominated last year.
