Nearly Half of 2026 Oscar Nominees Are International Films

The 98th Academy Awards feature a diverse slate of global productions vying for top honors.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 2:06am

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The 2026 Academy Awards feature a significant international presence, with nearly half of the 50 total nominations going to films produced outside the United States. This includes two of the 10 Best Picture nominees, as well as several co-productions between the U.S. and other countries. The shift towards more global representation at the Oscars comes after years of criticism over the lack of diversity among nominees, prompting the Academy to take steps to update and diversify its voter base.

Why it matters

The increased international presence at the Oscars reflects a broader trend in the film industry, as audiences around the world demand more diverse storytelling. This shift also highlights the Academy's efforts to become more representative of the global movie-going public, moving away from its historically insular and U.S.-centric focus.

The details

Of the 50 films nominated at the 2026 Academy Awards, 23 are considered international productions, with 17 being true foreign films and 6 co-productions between the U.S. and other countries. This includes two of the 10 Best Picture nominees: 'The Secret Agent' and 'Sentimental Value.' Last year, the proportion of international Best Picture nominees was similar, with 4 out of 10 films having global origins.

  • The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026.
  • In 2015, the #OscarsSoWhite controversy sparked calls for the Academy to diversify its membership.
  • In 2020, the Academy announced new diversity requirements for Oscar eligibility, giving studios time to adapt.
  • In 2024, the Academy's voter base was closer to reflecting the makeup of the average American film audience, with 35% female members and 20% from ethnic or racial minority groups.

The players

Bong Joon Ho

The director of the 2020 Best Picture winner 'Parasite,' who noted in a 2019 interview that the Oscars were historically a 'very local' affair.

Jafar Panahi

An Iranian dissident filmmaker whose film 'It Was Just an Accident' was produced and finished in France and Luxembourg after he had to smuggle footage out of Iran to escape the government's reach.

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What they’re saying

“It's a little strange, but it's not a big deal. The Oscars are not an international film festival. They're very local.”

— Bong Joon Ho, Director

What’s next

The Academy will announce the winners of the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, with international films poised to make a strong showing across multiple categories.

The takeaway

The increased international presence at the Oscars reflects the film industry's growing global reach and the Academy's efforts to become more representative of diverse audiences worldwide. This shift signals a welcome evolution for an awards show that was once seen as overly insular and U.S.-centric.