Oscars 2026 Race: Here Are The Other Films Homebound Is Competing With At 98th Academy Awards

India has officially selected Neeraj Ghaywan’s much-anticipated drama Homebound as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. The announcement came on September 19, 2025, by the Film Federation of India (FFI), following a meticulous selection process that considered multiple films across languages. Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, Homebound is set to hit theaters later this month.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has invited film industries worldwide to submit their best films for this category every year since the award was created in 1956. The award is presented annually to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains

primarily non-English dialogue. The International Feature Film Executive Committee oversees the process and reviews all submitted films. Previously called the Best Foreign Language Film, the category was renamed Best International Feature Film in April 2019 after AMPAS deemed the word “Foreign” outdated.

Also Read: Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, Starring Ishaan Khatter-Vishal Jethwa, Chosen As India’s Oscar Entry

For the 98th Academy Awards, films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025. The deadline for submissions is 1 October 2025, and Papua New Guinea has submitted a film for the first time. After a 15-film shortlist is announced on 16 December 2025, the five nominees will be revealed on 22 January 2026.

Here’s a look at the films competing alongside Homebound:

Armenia has entered My Armenian Phantoms, directed by Tamara Stepanyan, featuring dialogue in Armenian and Russian.

Austria is represented by Peacock, a German-language film directed by Bernhard Wenger.

Azerbaijan has submitted Taghiyev: Oil, in Azerbaijani, directed by Zaur Gasimli.

Belgium brings Young Mothers, a French-language drama by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is competing with Blum: Masters of Their Own Destiny, in Bosnian and English, directed by Jasmila Žbanić.

Also Read: Who Decides India’s Oscar Entry? Inside The Jury’s Selection Process

Brazil has submitted The Secret Agent, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, featuring Portuguese and German.

Bulgaria’s entry is Tarika, in Bulgarian, directed by Milko Lazarov.

Cambodia presents Tenement, a film in Khmer and Japanese directed by Inrasothythep Neth and Sokyou Chea.

Canada has The Things You Kill, a Turkish-language film directed by Alireza Khatami.

Chile enters The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, in Spanish, directed by Diego Céspedes.

Colombia brings A Poet, in Spanish, directed by Simón Mesa Soto.

Costa Rica’s entry is The Altar Boy, the Priest and the Gardener, in Spanish, directed by Juan Manuel Fernández.

Croatia has Fiume o morte!, in Croatian and Italian, directed by Igor Bezinović.

Czech Republic presents I’m Not Everything I Want to Be, in Czech, directed by Klára Tasovská.

Denmark enters Mr. Nobody Against Putin, in Russian and English, directed by David Borenstein.

Dominican Republic has Pepe, featuring multiple languages including Spanish, Afrikaans, Mbukushu, and German, directed by Nelson Carlo de Los Santos Arias.

Ecuador submits Chuzalongo, in Spanish and Kichwa, directed by Diego Ortuño.

Egypt is represented by Happy Birthday, in Arabic, directed by Sarah Goher.

Estonia brings Rolling Papers, in Estonian, directed by Meel Paliale.

Finland has 100 Litres of Gold, in Finnish, directed by Teemu Nikki.

France submits It Was Just an Accident, in Persian, directed by Jafar Panahi.

Georgia enters Panopticon, in Georgian, directed by George Sikharulidze.

Germany is represented by Sound of Falling, in German and Low German, directed by Mascha Schilinski.

Hungary brings Orphan, in Hungarian, directed by László Nemes.

Iceland submits The Love That Remains, in Icelandic, directed by Hlynur Pálmason.

India enters Homebound, in Hindi, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan.

Indonesia brings Sore: Wife from the Future, in Indonesian, Croatian, and English, directed by Yandy Laurens.

Iran is represented by Cause of Death: Unknown, in Persian, directed by Ali Zarnegar.

Iraq submits The President’s Cake, in Arabic, directed by Hasan Hadi.

Ireland presents Sanatorium, in Ukrainian, directed by Gar O’Rourke.

Israel enters The Sea, in Arabic and Hebrew, directed by Shai Carmeli-Pollak.

Japan has Kokuho, in Japanese, directed by Lee Sang-il.

Jordan submits All That’s Left of You, in Arabic, directed by Cherien Dabis.

Kyrgyzstan brings Black Red Yellow, in Kyrgyz and Russian, directed by Aktan Arym Kubat.

Latvia is represented by Dog of God, in Latvian and German, directed by Lauris Ābele and Raitis Ābele.

Lithuania enters The Southern Chronicles, in Lithuanian, directed by Ignas Miškinis.

Montenegro brings The Tower of Strength, in multiple languages, directed by Nikola Vukčević.

Morocco submits Calle Málaga, in Spanish and Arabic, directed by Maryam Touzani.

Nepal is represented by Anjila, in Nepali, directed by Milan Chams.

Netherlands brings Reedland, in Dutch, directed by Sven Bresser.

North Macedonia submits The Tale of Silyan, in Macedonian, directed by Tamara Kotevska.

Norway enters Sentimental Value, in Norwegian and English, directed by Joachim Trier.

Palestine has Palestine 36, in Arabic and English, directed by Annemarie Jacir.

Panama submits Beloved Tropic, in Spanish, directed by Ana Endara.

Papua New Guinea presents Papa Buka, in Tok Pisin, Hindi, and English, directed by Bijukumar Damodaran.

Paraguay brings Under the Flags, the Sun, featuring multiple languages including Spanish, Guarani, German, French, English, and Portuguese, directed by Juanjo Pereira.

Peru submits Motherland, in Quechua and Spanish, directed by Marco Panatonic.

Philippines enters Magellan, in Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, and French, directed by Lav Diaz.

Poland brings Franz, in German and Czech, directed by Agnieszka Holland.

Portugal submits Banzo, in Portuguese, directed by Margarida Cardoso.

Romania has Traffic, in Romanian, Dutch, and English, directed by Teodora Mihai.

Singapore presents Stranger Eyes, in Mandarin, English, and Singaporean Hokkien, directed by Yeo Siew Hua.

Slovakia enters Father, in Slovak, directed by Tereza Nvotová.

Slovenia brings Little Trouble Girls, in Slovene, directed by Urška Djukić.

South Korea submits No Other Choice, in Korean, directed by Park Chan-wook.

Spain presents Sirāt, in Spanish and French, directed by Oliver Laxe.

Sweden brings Eagles of the Republic, in Arabic, directed by Tarik Saleh.

Switzerland submits Late Shift, in German and Swiss German, directed by Petra Volpe.

Taiwan enters Left-Handed Girl, in Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien, directed by Shih-Ching Tsou.

Thailand brings A Useful Ghost, in Thai, English, and Isan, directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.

Tunisia submits The Voice of Hind Rajab, in Arabic, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania.

Turkey presents One of Those Days When Hemme Dies, in Turkish, directed by Murat Fıratoğlu.

Ukraine brings 2000 Meters to Andriivka, in Ukrainian and English, directed by Mstyslav Chernov.

Uruguay submits Don’t You Let Me Go, in Spanish, directed by Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge.

All these films will compete alongside India’s Homebound for a nomination at the 98th Academy Awards. The 15-film shortlist will be announced on 16 December 2025, with the five nominees revealed on 22 January 2026.