List of submissions to the 88th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
This is a list of submissions to the 88th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has invited the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film every year since the award was created in 1956. The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue. The Foreign Language Film Award Committee  oversees the process and reviews all the submitted films. Nine shortlisted contenders were revealed a week before the announcement of the Oscar nominations. The submitted motion pictures must be first released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 October 2014, and 30 September 2015. The deadline for submissions was 1 October 2015, with the Academy announcing a list of eligible films later that month. A total of 81 countries submitted a film before the deadline, with Paraguay submitting a film for the first time with the documentary "Cloudy Times", directed by Arami Ullon. The Academy announced a list of eligible  submissions in October 2015. Nine finalists from among the dozens of entries were shortlisted on 17 December. The final five nominees were announced on 14 January 2016. The winner was Hungary's "Son of Saul", directed by László Nemes.