List of Egyptian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Encyclopedia
Egypt
has submitted films for consideration for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film since 1958, when Youssef Chahine's Cairo Station became both the first African and the first Arab film to contend for the award.
The Foreign Film award is handed out annually by the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue.[1] The award was created for the 1956 Academy Awards, succeeding the non-competitive Honorary Academy Awards which were presented between 1947 and 1955 to the best foreign language films released in the United States.[2]
Egypt has submitted twenty-six films to the Foreign Oscar competition but has never yet achieved a coveted Oscar nomination. As of 2010, Egypt holds the dubious record (tied with Portugal) of submitting the most films to the competition without ever getting a nomination. They virtually disappeared from the competition during the sixteen-year period between 1982-2001 (sending a total of three films), but returned as a regular participant in 1999.
Youssef Chahine
represented Egypt four times, more than any other director.
to determine the five nominees for the award. Below is a list of the films that have been submitted by Egypt for review by the Academy for the award by year.
Submissions between 1966 and 1971 were submitted under the name of the United Arab Republic
, which was the formal name of Egypt at the time.
All films were in Arabic
.
The Egyptian Academy has been known in recent years for choosing topical films that are controversial at home. Coptic Christians launched an unsuccessful court case against 2004 submission I Love Cinema while dozens of Egyptian parliamentarians and a number of Muslim clerics similarly tried to ban The Yacoubian Building for depicting its depictions of Islamic fundamentalism
and particularly homosexuality
. 2002's Secret of the Young Girl a drama about teenage pregnancy , and 2003's Sleepless Nights, an examination of sex, divorce and relationships inside and outside of marriage also courted controversy among conservatives in Egypt.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
has submitted films for consideration for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film since 1958, when Youssef Chahine's Cairo Station became both the first African and the first Arab film to contend for the award.
The Foreign Film award is handed out annually by the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue.[1] The award was created for the 1956 Academy Awards, succeeding the non-competitive Honorary Academy Awards which were presented between 1947 and 1955 to the best foreign language films released in the United States.[2]
Egypt has submitted twenty-six films to the Foreign Oscar competition but has never yet achieved a coveted Oscar nomination. As of 2010, Egypt holds the dubious record (tied with Portugal) of submitting the most films to the competition without ever getting a nomination. They virtually disappeared from the competition during the sixteen-year period between 1982-2001 (sending a total of three films), but returned as a regular participant in 1999.
Youssef Chahine
Youssef Chahine
Youssef Chahine was an Egyptian film director active in the Egyptian film industry since 1950. He was credited with launching the career of actor Omar Sharif...
represented Egypt four times, more than any other director.
Submissions
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film since 1956. The Foreign Language Film Award Committee oversees the process and reviews all the submitted films. Following this, they vote via secret ballotSecret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
to determine the five nominees for the award. Below is a list of the films that have been submitted by Egypt for review by the Academy for the award by year.
Submissions between 1966 and 1971 were submitted under the name of the United Arab Republic
United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...
, which was the formal name of Egypt at the time.
All films were in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
| Year (Ceremony) | Film title used in nomination | Original title | Director | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 1958 in film The year 1958 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 16- "In the Money" by William Beaudine is released on this date. It would be the last installment of The Bowery Boys series which began back in 1946.... (31st) 31st Academy Awards The telecast of the 31st Academy Awards is among the most infamous. The show’s producer Jerry Wald started cutting numbers from the show to make sure it ran on time. Unfortunately, he cut too much material and the ceremony ended 20 minutes early, leaving Jerry Lewis to attempt to fill in the time... |
Cairo Station The Iron Gate The Iron Gate is a 1958 Egyptian drama film directed by Youssef Chahine. It was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 31st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-Plot:A newsstand... |
باب الحديد | ||
| 1959 1959 in film The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters.... (32nd) 32nd Academy Awards The 32nd Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1959 on 4 April 1960.MGM's and director William Wyler's three and a half-hour long epic drama Ben-Hur won 11 Oscars in 1959, breaking the previous year's all-time record of nine... |
The Nightingale's Prayer | دعاء الكروان | ||
| 1960 1960 in film The year 1960 in film involved some significant events, with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho the top-grossing release in the U.S.-Events:* April 20 - for the first time since coming home from military service in Germany, Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood, California to film G.I... (33rd) 33rd Academy Awards The 33rd Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1960, were held on April 17, 1961 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California... |
Teenagers Teenagers (film) Teenagers is a 1961 Egyptian drama film directed by Ahmed Diaeddin. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 33rd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:... |
المراهقات | ||
| 1961 1961 in film The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB... (34th) 34th Academy Awards The 34th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1961, were held on April 9, 1962 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. They were hosted by Bob Hope; this was the seventh time Hope hosted the Oscars... |
Love and Faith Oh Islam Oh Islam is a 1961 Egyptian drama film directed by Enrico Bomba and Andrew Marton. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 34th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee... |
وا إسلاماه | , Andrew Marton Andrew Marton Andrew Marton was a Hungarian-American director, producer and editor... |
|
| 1962 1962 in film The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government.... (35th) 35th Academy Awards The 35th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1962, were held on April 8, 1963 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California... |
Chased by the Dogs Chased by the Dogs Chased by the Dogs or The Thief and the Dogs is a 1962 Egyptian film directed by Kamal El Sheikh, based on the novel The Thief and the Dogs by Naguib Mahfouz. It was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival... |
اللص والكلاب | ||
| 1964 1964 in film The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is released.... (37th) 37th Academy Awards The 37th Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1964. For the first time, an award was presented in the field of makeup. All four acting awards went to non-American actors, something not repeated until the 80th Academy Awards were awarded for 2007.... |
Mother of the Bride Mother of the Bride (1963 film) Mother of the Bride is a 1963 Egyptian comedy film directed by Atef Salem. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 37th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:... |
أم العروسة | ||
| 1965 1965 in film The year 1965 in film involved some significant events, with The Sound of Music topping the U.S. box office.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:... (38th) 38th Academy Awards The 38th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1965, were held on April 18, 1966 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. They were hosted by Bob Hope.... |
The Impossible The Impossible (1966 film) The Impossible is a 1966 Egyptian drama film directed by Hussein Kamal. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 38th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:... |
المستحيل | ||
| 1966 1966 in film The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer... (39th) 39th Academy Awards The 39th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1966, were held on April 10, 1967 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California... |
Cairo 30 Cairo 30 Cairo 30 is a 1966 Egyptian drama film directed by Salah Abu Seif. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 39th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-Cast:* Soad Hosny* Ahmed Mazhar... |
القاهرة 30 | ||
| 1970 1970 in film The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career.... (43rd) 43rd Academy Awards The 43rd Academy Awards were presented April 15, 1971 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. There was no host.It was during this ceremony that George C... |
The Night of Counting the Years The Night of Counting the Years The Night of Counting the Years, a.k.a. The Mummy is a 1969 Egyptian film directed by Shadi Abdel Salam. It was Salam's first feature film. Egyptian critics consistently list it as one of the most important Egyptian films ever made... |
المومياء | ||
| 1971 1971 in film The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music... (44th) 44th Academy Awards The 44th Academy Awards were presented April 10, 1972 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Helen Hayes, Alan King, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Jack Lemmon. One of the major highlights of the evening was the appearance of Betty Grable, who was battling... |
A Woman and a Man A Woman and a Man (film) A Woman and a Man is a 1971 Egyptian film directed by Houssam Eddine Mostafa. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 44th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:... |
امرأة و رجل | ||
| 1972 1972 in film The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB... (45th) 45th Academy Awards The 45th Academy Awards were presented March 27, 1973 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Charlton Heston, and Rock Hudson.... |
My Wife and the Dog My Wife and the Dog My Wife and the Dog is a 1971 Egyptian film directed by Said Marzouk. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 45th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.-Cast:* Soad Hosny* Nour El-Sherif... |
زوجتي و الكلب | ||
| 1973 1973 in film The year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra.... (46th) 46th Academy Awards The 46th Academy Awards were presented April 2, 1974 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by John Huston, Diana Ross, Burt Reynolds, David Niven.... |
Empire M | إمبراطورية ميم | ||
| 1974 1974 in film The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J... (47th) 47th Academy Awards The 47th Academy Awards were presented April 8, 1975 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Sammy Davis, Jr., Bob Hope, Shirley MacLaine, and Frank Sinatra... |
Enslaved by the Past | |||
| 1975 1975 in film The year 1975 in film involved some significant events, with Steven Spielberg's thriller Jaws topping the box office.-Events:*March 26 - The film version of The Who's Tommy premieres in London.... (48th) 48th Academy Awards The 48th Academy Awards were presented March 29, 1976 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, George Segal, Goldie Hawn, and Gene Kelly... |
I Want a Solution | أريد حلاً | ||
| 1976 1976 in film The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film... (49th) 49th Academy Awards The 49th Academy Awards were presented March 28, 1977, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Richard Pryor, Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, and Warren Beatty.... |
Whom Should We Shoot? | على من نطلق الرصاص | ||
| 1979 1979 in film The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released.... (52nd) 52nd Academy Awards The 52nd Academy Awards were presented April 14, 1980 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Johnny Carson, who in noting the long duration of the production, joked that President Jimmy Carter was working hard for their "release" from the ceremonies, a... |
Alexandria...Why? | إسكندرية... ليه؟ | ||
| 1981 1981 in film -Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it.... (54th) 54th Academy Awards The 54th Academy Awards were presented March 29, 1982 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Johnny Carson.... |
People at the Top | أهل القمة | ||
| 1990 1990 in film The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2.... (63rd) 63rd Academy Awards The 63rd Academy Awards were presented March 25, 1991 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The show was hosted by Billy Crystal.The prominent winner was Dances with Wolves which earned seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Joe Pesci winning Best Supporting Actor... |
Alexandria, Again and Forver | اسكندرية كمان وكمان | ||
| 1994 1994 in film 1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time... (67th) 67th Academy Awards The 67th Academy Awards, honoring the best films of 1994, were held on March 27, 1995 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by well-known comedian and talk show host David Letterman.... |
Land of Dreams Land of Dreams Land of Dreams is a 1988 album by Randy Newman full of vignettes of his childhood in New Orleans. The most well-known song on the album is "It's Money That Matters", which rose to the top of the Mainstream Rock chart for two weeks, to become Newman's only number one hit on any U.S... |
أرض الاحلام | ||
| 1997 1997 in film -Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*... (70th) 70th Academy Awards The 70th Academy Awards were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins obtained by the Best Picture Titanic. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy award for his performance.... |
Destiny Destiny (1997 film) Destiny is a 1997 French-Egyptian historical drama film directed by Youssef Chahine. It was screened out of competition at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.... |
المصير | ||
| 2002 2002 in film The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of... (75th) 75th Academy Awards The 75th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2002, were held on March 23, 2003, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. It was produced by Gil Cates and hosted for the second time by Steve Martin.... |
The Secret of the Young Girl | أسرار البنات | ||
| 2003 2003 in film The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,... (76th) 76th Academy Awards The 76th Academy Awards ceremony honored the best films of 2003 and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on ABC beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/8:30 p.m. EST, February 29, 2004 . The show was produced by Joe Roth and was hosted for the eighth time by comedian Billy Crystal.The... |
Sleepless Nights | سهر الليالى | ||
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... (77th) 77th Academy Awards The 77th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2004 and were held on February 27, 2005, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. They were hosted by comedian Chris Rock.The nominees were announced on January 25, 2005... |
I Love Cinema I Love Cinema I Love Cinema is a 2004 Egyptian film directed by Osama Fawzy. It was Egypt's submission to the 77th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.... |
بحب السيما | ||
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... (79th) 79th Academy Awards The 79th Academy Awards ceremony , honored the best films of 2006 and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC. Ellen DeGeneres hosted the ceremony for the first time. The producer was Laura Ziskin. The announcers were Don LaFontaine and Gina Tuttle.The nominees were... |
The Yacoubian Building The Yacoubian Building (film) The Yacoubian Building is an Egyptian film based on the novel of the same title by author Alaa Al Aswany. It has been reported to be the highest-budgeted film in the history of Egyptian cinema.-Background:... |
عمارة يعقوبيان | ||
| 2007 2007 in film This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007... (80th) 80th Academy Awards The 80th Academy Awards ceremony honored the best films in 2007 and was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on ABC beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST/8:30 p.m. EST, February 24, 2008 . During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards in 24... |
In the Heliopolis Flat In the Heliopolis Flat In the Heliopolis Flat is a 2007 Egyptian film directed by Mohamed Khan. It was Egypt's submission to the 80th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.... |
في شقة مصر الجديدة | ||
| 2008 2008 in film This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008... (81st) 81st Academy Awards The 81st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2008 and took place February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST... |
The Island | الجزيرة | ||
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... (83rd) 83rd Academy Awards The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2010 and took place February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, Academy Awards ... |
Messages from the Sea Messages from the Sea Messages from the Sea is a 2010 Egyptian drama film directed by Daoud Abdel Sayed. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist.-Cast:* Basma Ahmad... |
رسائل بحر | ||
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... (84th) 84th Academy Awards The 84th Academy Awards ceremony will honor the best films of 2011 and will take place on February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. It will be televised in the United States on ABC. The host was originally going to be Eddie Murphy. However, after Brett Ratner resigned as... |
Lust Lust (film) Lust is a 2011 Egyptian drama film directed by Khaled El Hagar. The film has been selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.-See also:... |
لشوق |
The Egyptian Academy has been known in recent years for choosing topical films that are controversial at home. Coptic Christians launched an unsuccessful court case against 2004 submission I Love Cinema while dozens of Egyptian parliamentarians and a number of Muslim clerics similarly tried to ban The Yacoubian Building for depicting its depictions of Islamic fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism is a term used to describe religious ideologies seen as advocating a return to the "fundamentals" of Islam: the Quran and the Sunnah. Definitions of the term vary. According to Christine L...
and particularly homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. 2002's Secret of the Young Girl a drama about teenage pregnancy , and 2003's Sleepless Nights, an examination of sex, divorce and relationships inside and outside of marriage also courted controversy among conservatives in Egypt.
See also
- List of Academy Award winners and nominees for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Academy Award-winning foreign language films