Elysia is joined by Mexican film critic Héctor Serrano to tour the best cinema of the year from around the world, from this year's five Oscar nominees to highlights from the shortlist and beyond:

Best International Film – history & rules (0:04:02)
The 5 nominees (0:16:54)
Shortlisted films (01:02:55)
Other awards & more recs (01:26:16)

Note: All film discussion in this episode is spoiler-free.

Find Héctor Serrano at: El Cinéfilo Latino

Nominees Discussed:

International Film nominees:

It Was Just an Accident (France [Iran]) – trailer, info (VoD)
The Secret Agent (Brazil) – trailer, info (VoD, theaters)
Sentimental Value (Norway) – trailer, info (VoD)
Sirāt (Spain) – trailer, info (theaters, VoD likely March)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia [Palestine]) – trailer, info (theaters, VoD March 10)

Other films discussed: A Useful Ghost (Thailand; to rent), The Sea (Israel; to rent), No Other Choice (South Korea; to rent), “Close Your Eyes, Hind” (The Netherlands [Palestine]; NPO [NL only]), Four Daughters (2023, Tunisia; Hoopla, Kanpoy, Kino), The President’s Cake (Iraq), Sound of Falling (Germany), Left-Handed Girl (Taiwan; Netflix), Kokuho (Japan), Homebound (India; Netflix), All That’s Left of You (Jordan [Palestine]; to rent), Nouvelle Vague (France; Netflix), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia; HBO Max), A Poet (Colombia), Rietland (The Netherlands; to rent [NL]; Elysia’s review), The Propagandist (The Netherlands; NPO [NL]), We Shall Not Be Moved (Mexico; Disney/Hulu, Kanopy), The Things You Kill (Canada [Turkey]; Hoopla, Filo), Banzo (Portugal), Sore: Wife from the Future (Indonesia), The Ugly Stepsister (Norway; Hulu, AMC+, Shudder, Mubi, Philo), The Last Viking (Denmark), Resurrection (China; Elysia’s review), Magellan (The Phillippines [Portugal])

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2025 at 7 pm ET (on ABC/Hulu in the US) – where it's aired around the world

Check how many Oscar nominees you've seen at OscarsDeathRace.com – or with extended stats and access to the animated shorts via DeathRaceTracking.com

Oscars 2026 coverage

Nominations + Best Picture preview

Live-Action, Animated, & Documentary Shorts

Production Design, Costumes, Makeup & Hair

International Features (this episode)

Documentary Features

Score & Original Song

Cinematography, VFX, Editing, Sound

Animated Features

Adapted & Original Screenplay, Director

Lead & Supporting Actor & Actress, Casting

Ceremony reactions + Best Picture rankings

Deep dives into 2026 Oscar nominees

Sinners

One Battle After Another – pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3

Frankenstein

Weapons

Shorts: “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” “The Singers,” “Retirement Plan,” and “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”

For subscribers:

Leiden IFF – WhachaWachin (Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, Arco + Rental Family, Left-Handed Girl)

Imagine Fantastic FF – WhachaWachin (The Last Viking)

Additional awards coverage

BAFTAs shorts

BAFTAs features

Oscars 2026 – International Film – Nominees and beyond