The shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film award at next year’s Oscars have been announced with nine films from around the world competing for the golden statue. The list has been narrowed down from 83 titles and the winner will be revealed at the 87th Academy Awards, held next year.

LeviathanRussia's Leviathan is among the titles shortlisted

The shortlist was chosen by a committee of several hundred Los Angeles-based Academy members who screened submissions over the past two months and voted. Their top six choices were then augmented by three additional selections voted on by the Academy's Executive Committee.

Poland’s Ida, about a novice nun who discovers she is Jewish is an early favourite as is Russia’s anti-Putin fable Leviathan. Both films have also received Golden Globe nominations in the same category.

More: Russian Art House Film 'Leviathan' Goes From Strength To Strength

Also on the list are, Wild Tales from Argentina, Estonia's Tangerines, Corn Island from Georgia, Mauritania's Timbuktu, The Netherlands Accused, Force Majeure from Sweden and Venezuela's The Liberator.

Watch the trailer for Ida here:


The shortlist will then be narrowed down to five titles which will be announced alongside the other Oscar nominees on January 15th. The list includes six titles from Europe and the Soviet Republic, two from Latin American and the first ever submission from the North African country of Mauritania.

But the list does include some notable exclusions mainly the Cannes Palme d’Or winner Winter Sleep, from Turkey’s Nuri Bilge Ceylan and the critically-acclaimed Two Days, One Night from Belgium’s Jean Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

More: Cannes 2014 Palme D'Or Winner: 'Winter Sleep' Takes The Jewell of The Springtime Festival

Last year the award was won by Italian drama The Great Beauty (La grande bellezza), which was written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino.