Record 92 countries vying for foreign language Oscar

LOS ANGELES: A record 92 countries have entered the race hoping to snag an Oscar for best foreign language film at next year´s awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday.

Among the contenders that have created a buzz this year is Angelina Jolie´s "First They Killed My Father" from Cambodia, Robin Camillo´s "BPM (Beats Per Minute)" from France, Ziad Doueiri´s "The Insult" from Lebanon and Joachim Trier´s "Thelma" from Norway.

Swedish art world satire "The Square," directed by Ruben Ostlund, was the shock winner at the Cannes Film Festival this year and is also among the contenders.

First-time entrants include Haiti ("Ayiti Mon Amour"), Lao People´s Democratic Republic ("Dearest Sister") and Syria ("Little Gandhi").

Last year´s Oscar for best foreign language film went to Iranian director Asghar Farhadi´s "The Salesman."

Farhadi boycotted the ceremony over US President Donald Trump´s visa ban barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, from entering the United States.

Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on January 23 and the glitzy ceremony will be held on March 4 in Hollywood.