The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, is extending a call to all South African producers to submit their films for entry into the 99th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars). The Academy has opened a call for entry for the International Feature Film Award, inviting South Africans to submit their feature films for consideration.The NFVF is officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to make submissions on behalf of the South African Film industry.
The closing date for submissions is 27 July 2026, 17h00. The South African Academy Selection Committee will choose one film as the country's official submission for the International Feature Film Award.
Submission details for Selection Committee Judging process:
Entrants will be required to submit a dialogue track to confirm and audit the language count of more than 50% non-English dialogue track.
The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly (more than 50%) in a language or languages other than English. ACCURATE, LEGIBLE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUBTITLES ARE REQUIRED.
A password protected link of the film must be provided for viewing purposes by the Committee.
Applicants must provide evidence to show that the creative control of the film is largely in the hands of SA citizens, residents or individuals with refugee or asylum status in South Africa.
To be eligible films must be first released in the country of origin and begin no earlier than October 1, 2025, and no later than September 30, 2026, and be first publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for the profit of the producer and exhibitor. The seven consecutive days of the theatrical release are required to occur in one venue. In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country or region of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside of the United States and its territories for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for paid admission.
Proof of film being advertised and exploited during its qualifying theatrical release must be provided with the submission.
Alternative to the Selection Committee pathway , the film must have won a qualifying award at an international film festival, as specified in the International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List. The International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List is available at www.oscars.org or may be obtained from the Academy.
Films that receive a nontheatrical public exhibition or distribution before their qualifying theatrical release will not be eligible for Academy Awards consideration.
Nontheatrical public exhibition or distribution includes but is not limited to:
Broadcast and cable television
Pay Per View/Video on Demand
DVD and/or streaming distribution
Inflight airline distribution
Internet transmission
Films must comply with all other eligibility requirements for the 99th Academy Awards.
Below is the link to the rules for the Academy Awards
(Complete Award Rules for the 99th Oscars)
To be eligible for entry:
DEFINITION
An international film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the United States of America and its territories with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track. Animated and documentary feature films are permitted.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for awards consideration for the 99th awards year, an international feature film must fulfill one of the following qualifying criteria.
The film must be the official selection by a country or region via the country or region's Academy-approved Selection Committee.
OR
The film must have won a qualifying award at an international film festival, as specified in the International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List. The International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List is available at www.oscars.org or may be obtained from the Academy.
All film submissions must be first released theatrically in the country or region of origin for paid admission. The theatrical release must begin no earlier than October 1, 2025, and no later than September 30, 2026, and be first publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for the profit of the producer and exhibitor. The seven consecutive days of the theatrical release are required to occur in one venue. In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country or region of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside of the United States and its territories for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for paid admission.
All motion pictures qualifying under this paragraph shall satisfy the theatrical exhibition format requirements of Rule Two, Paragraph 2.B.
The film's theatrical release must be advertised and exploited during its qualifying theatrical release in a manner considered normal and customary to theatrical feature distribution practices. The film need not have been released in the United States.
Films that, in any version, receive a nontheatrical public exhibition or distribution before their qualifying theatrical release will not be eligible for Academy Awards consideration.
Nontheatrical public exhibition or distribution includes but is not limited to:
Broadcast and cable television
Pay Per View/Video on Demand
DVD and/or streaming distribution
Inflight airline distribution
Internet transmission
The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly (more than 50%) in a language or
