Eight Arab countries and territories have submitted films for Best International Feature at the 99th Academy Awards, set to take place on March 14, 2027. The shortlist of 15 films will be announced on December 15, 2026, with the final five nominees revealed on January 21, 2027.
Lebanon put forward Furies, directed by Rami Kodeih; Saudi Arabia submitted A Matter of Life and Death by Anas Ba Tahaf; and Algeria entered Roqia, directed by Yanis Koussim. Iraq's submission, No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman, directed by Halkawt Mustafa, is a Norway-Iraq-UAE-Sweden co-production, giving it a direct UAE connection.
Morocco selected Strawberries by Laila Marrakchi, Palestine chose Citizen Osama by Ahmed Hassouna, Egypt entered The Stories by Abu Bakr Shawky, and Jordan submitted Sink, directed by Zain Duraie, as its official candidate.
Last year, the Tunisian film The Voice of Hind Rajab became the first Arab production to reach the final nominee stage in this category, a breakthrough that has sharpened international attention on Arab cinema heading into this year's awards season.
The UAE's role as a co-production partner on Iraq's entry underlines the country's growing position as a regional hub for film financing and co-production, a trend that has accelerated over recent years through festival hosting and support for independent Arab filmmakers based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.