Rabat- This past week, Morocco has officially opened submissions for the 98th Academy Awards for the category of Best International Feature Film. 

Applications must be submitted by July 13 in order to be eligible for consideration. 

The Academy holds very firm rules and requires submitted films to be a minimum of 40 minutes long, produced outside of the United States and not in English. 

To also ensure that the film has gained national recognition, it must have been playing at a commercial theater in Morocco for a minimum of seven consecutive days between October 2024 and September, 30, of the same year.

Submissions must include the official Academy Awards submission form, proof of screening at a commercial theater in Morocco during the timeline, and a signed commitment of the film’s run. These requirements are expected to be met to ensure compliance with the Academy regulations. 

An expert panel of experienced Moroccan filmmakers will review the entries and in September, the jury will convene to select the ultimate title that will represent Morocco at the distinguished Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards ceremony.

The goal of promoting the Oscar Awards and submitting to the Academy is to shed light on Moroccan culture and Moroccan cinema internationally. 

Morocco has never won an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, nor made it to the nomination stage for the category. Last year, Brazil took home the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film with the drama “I’m Still Here.”

Although Morocco has never won an Oscar award, they have been submitting films for the Academy Award Best International Feature Film since 1977 and multiple submissions have made it to the December shortlist, including “The Blue Caftan” by Maryam Touzani and “The Mother of All Lies” by Asmae El Moudir which were both selected in the 15 film December shortlist in 2022 and 2023.

Over the last few years, Moroccan films have seen a significant increase in production quality and quantity, making them more eligible each year to receive an award.