Rule Fourteen
Special Rules for the Best Foreign Language Film Award
I. DEFINITION
A foreign language film is defined, for Academy Award purposes, as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States of America with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
II. ELIGIBILITY
1. The film must be first released in the country submitting the film between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2005, and first publicly exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for the profit of the producer and exhibitor, advertised and exploited during its eligibility run in a manner considered normal and customary to the industry. The picture need not have been released in the United States.
2. The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed film must be predominantly in an official language of the country submitting the film except when the story mandates that an additional non-English language be predominant. Films involving subcultures that speak a non-English, non-official language may qualify if their subject matter concerns life in the submitting country. Accurate English subtitles are required.
3. The submitting country must certify that creative talent of that country exercised artistic control of the film.
4. The Academy has the right to make the final determination in questions of eligibility.
III. SUBMISSION
1. Every country shall be invited to submit its best film to the Academy. Selection of the best picture from each country shall be made by one organization, jury or committee which should include artists and/or craftspeople from the field of motion pictures.
2. Only one picture will be accepted from each country.
3. The Academy will provide official entry forms to the proper committee in each country so that the producer of the film selected can supply full information on his or her picture. All questions on the forms should be answered as fully as possible.
4. The official entry forms, together with a cast and credits list, a brief synopsis of the film in English, a biography and photograph of the director, and a copy of public notification of exhibition (such as an advertisement in a newspaper), must be received in the Academy office not later than Monday , October 3, 2005. Also, still photographs, a poster, and any other fact sheets may be sent to further document the submission.
5. Prints should be shipped prepaid as early as possible, as the Academy cannot accept pictures for award consideration later than Friday, October 14, 2005.
6. The print submitted for award consideration must be identical in form with the final version in general release in the country submitting the film.
7. Countries whose films are nominated on January 31, 2006. will be required to provide a second English-subtitled print of the film to facilitate voting screenings. This second print is due at the Academy on Friday, February 3, 2006. This second print will be returned at the conclusion of the voting process.
8. Prints submitted will be retained by the Academy until the voting process is completed and will not be loaned for use by others during the period of the voting process.
9. 1. "Every award shall be conditioned upon the delivery to the Academy of one print or one copy of every film nominated for final balloting for all Academy Awards. Such print or copy shall be in a format and of a quality equivalent to the film's theatrical release; if a film exists in more than one format, then the version deposited shall be the film print. Such print or copy shall become the property of the Academy, with the proviso, however, that the Academy shall not use such print or copy for commercial gain. Such print or copy shall be deposited with the Academy and, subject to matters not within its control, shall be screened by the Academy for the membership in advance of distribution of final ballots." (Academy Bylaws, Article VIII, Section 6) The Academy will retain for its archives every print chosen as a nomination for final balloting on the Foreign Language Film Award. Those films not chosen as nominees for final balloting will be returned to the sender at Academy expense.
IV. VOTING
1. All submissions sent to the Academy will be screened by the Academy's Foreign Language Film Award Committee(s). After the screenings, the committee(s) will vote by secret ballot to nominate five foreign language pictures for this award.
2. Final voting for the Foreign Language Film Award shall be restricted to active and life Academy members who have attended Academy screenings, or other exhibition, of all five films nominated for the award.
3. Viewing Foreign Language Film entries on videocassette or DVD will NOT qualify a member for voting purposes in this category.
4. The Academy Statuette (Oscar7) will be awarded to the picture and accepted by the director on behalf of the film's creative talents.
V. ELIGIBILITY IN OTHER CATEGORIES
1. Films submitted for Best Foreign Language Film Award consideration may also qualify for the 78th Annual Academy Awards in other categories, provided they meet the requirements of the special rules governing those categories.
2. In order to qualify for other categories, the films must be publicly exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film for paid admission (previews excluded) in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County between January 1, 2005, and midnight of December 31, 2005, for a run of at least seven consecutive days after an opening prior to midnight of December 31, 2005.
3. Films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Award shall not be eligible for Academy Award consideration in any category in any subsequent awards year. Submitted films not selected as nominees are eligible for Academy Award consideration in other categories in the subsequent year, provided the film has its Los Angeles opening in that subsequent calendar year.
