More than 50 countries have announced their official submissions to the 83rd annual Academy Awards for consideration in the Oscar's Foreign Language category. This Friday, October 1 is the deadline for selections. Approximately another ten countries, including Italy, Spain and Argentina, will submit a selection by October 1.

To compete in this Academy Awards category, countries must choose only a single title for consideration. A special foreign-language committee will screen and vote on the shortlist of nine films to be announced in January, prior to selection of the five final nominees.

Contenders include films from Afghanistan's The Black Tulip by director Soia Nassery Cole to Venezuela's Hermano by Marcel Rasquin, winner of the Audience Choice Award at the Los Angeles Latino Film Festival.
According to Hollywood insider blog The Wrap, this category is difficult to predict, but the current candidates that appear to be favored based on film festival reception and positive reviews include Mexico's upcoming release of Biutiful starring Javier Bardem, as well as the selections from Algeria, Canada, Denmark and France.