2025 98th Academy Awards International Film Award

Each year, Telefilm Canada coordinates the Pan-Canadian Selection Committee and the process to determine which Canadian film will be submitted for the International Film Award competition at the Academy Awards. This committee will screen eligible films over the coming weeks and meet at the end of August to vote on which film will represent Canada in this prestigious competition. Please take note the film submission to the Academy must be completed by October 1, 2025.

Key Date

1. Deadline to submit to the Pan-Canadian Selection Committee: July 11, 2025
2. Announcement of Canadian submission to the Oscars: End of August 2025
3. Deadline for the Academy to receive all submission materials: October 1, 2025

Summary

1. Application Deadline: July 11, 2025
2. Category: Contest
3. Opportunity Locations: Canada
4. Eligible Locations: Canada
5. Sponsor Organisation: Telefilm Canada

Eligibility Criteria for 2025 98th Academy Awards International Film Award

1. Be a feature film (over 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track. Accurate, legible English language subtitles are required.
2. Narrative, animation, and documentary feature films are eligible.
3. Creative control of the film was largely in the hands of citizens, residents of CANADA or individuals with refugee or asylum status in CANADA.
4. Must have been released in Canada between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, and be first publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for the profit of the producer and exhibitor. The seven consecutive days of the theatrical release are required to occur in one venue.
5. The film must be advertised and exploited during its qualifying theatrical release in a manner considered normal and customary to theatrical feature distribution practices. The film need not have been released in the United States.
6. Films that, in any version, receive a nontheatrical public exhibition or distribution before their qualifying theatrical release will not be eligible for Academy Awards consideration. Nontheatrical public exhibition or distribution includes but is not limited to:
7. Broadcast and cable television
8. PPV/VOD
9. DVD distribution
10. Inflight airline distribution
11. Internet transmission

Benefits of 2025 98th Academy Awards International Film Award

1. The film voted for will represent Canada at the Oscars
2. Telefilm Canada will offer promotional support to eligible films that submitted in other categories but is not involved in the submission process.

How to Apply

Producers interested in having their film participate in the selection process must

1. first complete the online application form
2. provide a downloadable screener link for the film.

Films will be uploaded onto a secure screening platform for the jury to view.

Please note, a film may only be submitted once for consideration. Films that were submitted for last year call for entries, are not eligible.

Material to Submit

You will need to provide the following items in your submission.

These items will be used to promote your film if it is selected by the Pan-Canadian jury to represent Canada in the International Film Award competition at the Academy Awards.

1. Downloadable screener Link to the film with English subtitles – Mandatory
2. Promotional still, high resolution, 300 DPI, Horizontal, without any writing or logo –Mandatory
3. EPK—Mandatory
4. Tailor, if available
5. Film Poster, if available
6. Downloadable link to the film trailer (Preferably with English subtitles), If available
7. Downloadable link to a 3-minute excerpt of the film, if available

Apply Here

View details of the 98th Academy Awards International Film Award

Apply for the 98th Academy Awards International Film Award

Application Deadline

11 July, 2025

Application Link(s)

• Apply for 2025 98th Academy Awards International Film Award