Deadline's Contenders Film: International Begins Today Featuring 14 Films Competing in Award Season

The Best International Feature Film category is once again full of surprises in 2025, introducing several notable firsts. Out of 86 submissions approved by AMPAS, some were debut films, such as Chiles The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingos by Diego Cspedes. Additionally, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea are joining the competition for the very first time.

Iraqs The Presidents Cake is set to make history if it reaches the Oscar shortlist, having already earned two top honors at Cannes: the Directors Fortnight Audience Award and the Camera dOr. This would mark the first time Iraq enters the shortlist among its 14 selections since 2005.

Today, 14 films will be featured in Deadlines annual virtual panel event, Contenders Film: International, starting at 9 a.m. PT.

The lineup includes films familiar to festival audiences from Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, and San Sebastin. Deadline provides a platform for audiences to explore these films by engaging with the stars, directors, producers, and screenwriters behind them.

Highlighted films include:

• Franz (Poland) Agnieszka Hollands whimsical biography of the short-lived Czech writer known for Kafka-esque themes.
• Late Shift (Switzerland) Petra Volpes near real-time story of an overburdened nurse facing unexpected challenges.
• The Presidents Cake (Iraq) Hasan Hadis 1990s-set drama about a young girl forced to celebrate Saddam Husseins birthday.
• Father (Slovakia) Tereza Nvotovs gripping tale of a parent who accidentally leaves their infant in a hot car.
• The Sea (Israel) Shai Carmeli-Pollaks timely story of a Palestinian boy navigating a hostile country to reach the seaside.
• Beln (Argentina) Dolores Fonzis political drama highlighting the wrongful imprisonment of a woman in 2014.
• The Last Dance (Hong Kong) Anselm Chans intimate story of an underdog wedding planner turning to funeral directing.
• All Thats Left of You (Jordan) Cherien Dabis multi-generational tale of a Palestinian family displaced in 1948.
• No Other Choice (South Korea) Park Chan-wooks darkly comedic take on downsizing, starring Lee Byung-hun.
• The Heart Is a Muscle (South Africa) Imran Hamdulays drama about a fathers devastating error.
• Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia) Urka Djukis coming-of-age story of a teenage girl.
• Familia (Italy) Francesco Costabiles exploration of true crime and far-right politics.
• 100 Liters of Gold (Finland) Teemu Nikkis comedy about two sisters who accidentally get high on homemade brew.
• The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingos (Chile) Diego Cspedes childhood-focused story of acceptance and loss in the early 1980s.

Follow the full event on Deadline.com and social media via #DeadlineContenders. Panel recordings and discussions will be available on the events streaming site starting Monday.

Schedule and panelists for todays showcase:

• The Presidents Cake (Iraq) Hasan Hadi (Writer/Director)
• Late Shift (Switzerland) Petra Volpe (Writer/Director), Leonie Benesch (Actor)
• Father (Slovakia) Tereza Nvotov (Writer/Director), Veronika Patkov (Producer)
• Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia) Urka Djuki Lecamus (Writer/Director), Jara Sofija Ostan (Actor), Lev Predan Kowarski (DP)
• The Last Dance (Hong Kong) Anselm Chan (Director)
• The Sea (Israel) Shai Carmeli-Pollak (Writer/Director), Baher Agbariya (Producer)
• 100 Liters of Gold (Finland) Teemu Nikki (Director/Screenwriter), Elina Knihtil & Pirjo Lonka (Actors)
• Beln (Argentina) Dolores Fonzi (Writer/Director/Actor), Leticia Cristi (Producer)
• Franz (Poland) Agnieszka Holland (Director/Producer)
• No Other Choice (South Korea) Park Chan-wook (Writer/Director/Producer)
• The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingos (Chile) Diego Cespedes (Director)
• The Heart Is a Muscle (South Africa) Imran Hamdulay (Writer/Director/Producer), Keenan Arrison & Melissa de Vries (Actors)
• All Thats Left of You (Jordan) Cherien Dabis (Writer/Director/Producer/Actor)
• Familia (Italy) Francesco Costabile (Director), Francesco Gheghi & Barbara Ronchi (Actors)

Author: Noah Whitman