From across the world, 92 countries had been eligible to contest at the Oscars International Feature, and finally, 15 films were put on the preliminary list of nominees, Variety reported.
The shortlist voting concluded on Dec. 15, and the remaining ones will move on to the official phase one voting. Nominations voting begins on Thursday, Jan. 27, and ends on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The official credits and nominees for all the films will be announced, with the rest of the Oscar nominations on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
Directed by Asghar Farhadi,''A Hero'' will compete with ''Great Freedom'' (Austria), ''Playground'' (Belgium), ''Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom'' (Bhutan), ''Flee'' (Denmark), ''Compartment No. 6'' (Finland), ''I'm Your Man'' (Germany), ''Lamb'' (Iceland), ''The Hand of God'' (Italy), ''Drive My Car'' (Japan), ''Hive'' (Kosovo), ''Prayers for the Stolen'' (Mexico), ''The Worst Person in the World'' (Norway), ''Plaza Catedral'' (Panama), ''The Good Boss'' (Spain).
well-regarded auteur is Iranian Asghar Farhadi, who has won two foreign-language Oscars, for “A Separation,” which was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, and “The Salesman,” and could be up for a third for Cannes Grand Prix-winner “A Hero,” a searing family drama about a feckless man trying to extricate himself from debtor’s prison in order to marry the woman he loves. Amazon is lobbying hard for the well-reviewed drama.
Sharing the Grand Prix at Cannes with “A Hero” was Juho Kuosmanen’s Finland entry, gorgeous winter train saga “Compartment No. 6” (Sony Pictures Classics) which tracks two incompatible train mates on a journey of discovery.
The film has also been screened at the 69th edition of the BFI London Film Festival in the UK, the 39th edition of the Miami International Film Festival in the US, the Film Festival Cologne in Germany, the 45th edition of the São Paulo International Film Festival in Brazil and Ajyal Film Festival in Doha, Qatar.