This is a list of submissions to the 86th 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.[1] 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.[1][2] The Foreign Language Film Award Committee oversees the process and reviews all the submitted films.[2]
For the 86th Academy Awards, which were held on 2 March 2014, the submitted films must be first released theatrically in their respective countries for seven consecutive days between 1 October 2012 and 30 September 2013.[2] The deadline for submissions was 1 October 2013, with the Academy announcing a list of eligible films later that month.[2] Seventy-six countries submitted a film for consideration in the category before the deadline,[3] Moldova[3] and Saudi Arabia[4] are first-time entrants, alongside Montenegro submitting for the first time as an independent country.[5] Pakistan submitted a film for the first time in 50 years.[6]
Nine finalists were announced in December 2013, which were shortlisted in January,[7] with the final five nominees announced on 16 January 2014.[8][9] The winner of the 86th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film was Italy's The Great Beauty, which was directed by Paolo Sorrentino.[10]