The Chicago International Film Festival is always delivering on curating an incredible lineup and this year is no exception, with 16 films making their North American premieres and 10 holding their U.S. premieres, below are the titles that are chosen as their country’s submission to represent them in the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.

Argentina - THE DELINQUENTS

Morán works a dead-end job at a bank. Fed up, he dreams up a scheme to break free: walk into the vault and steal enough cash for a comfortable retirement.

Australia - SHAYDA

After Shayda takes refuge in an Australian women’s shelter with her young daughter, the arrival of her husband jeopardizes her path to freedom.

Brazil - PICTURES OF GHOSTS

From acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho comes an incisive and whimsical essay film about movies, memory, and the places of one’s past.

Denmark - THE PROMISED LAND

A retired soldier (Mads Mikkelsen) embarks on a quest to tame the unforgiving Danish Jutland, where he violently clashes with a local landowner.

Finland - FALLEN LEAVES

Two strangers meet by chance in a karaoke bar. Despite an instant spark, a series of everyday obstacles threatens to derail their joint destiny.

France - THE TASTE OF THINGS

Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel star in this mouthwatering romantic drama, about a gourmand wooing his longtime love with a decadent meal.

Germany - THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE

An idealistic high school teacher who advocates for a student accused of stealing becomes embroiled in conflict when she becomes the target of a theft herself.

Iceland - GODLAND*

At the end of the 19th century, a young Danish priest is sent to a remote part of Iceland. The deeper he travels into the Icelandic landscape, the more he loses a sense of his own reality, his mission and his sense of duty.
*This title screened at the 58th Chicago International Film Festival, but is Iceland’s submission for this year.

Japan - Perfect Days

Living a life of solitary, quiet contentment, a public toilet cleaner’s routine is interrupted when his niece arrives for an unexpected visit.

Mexico - TÓTEM

Over the course of a day preparing a birthday party for her ailing father, young Sol watches her family’s bonds erode as they honor life and loss.

Netherlands - SWEET DREAMS

A Dutch plantation owner’s death sparks a rancorous clash over his estate in this surreal satire of the end of Indonesia’s colonial era.

North Macedonia - HOUSEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS

When the head of the household passes away suddenly, a collective of queer misfits reluctantly come together to protect their found family.

Palestine - BYE BYE TIBERIAS

Filmmaker Lina Souaelm traces the journeys of her mother — Palestinian actress Hiam Abbas — and the women of her extended family, whose lives have been defined by separation, exile, and resilience.

Portugal - BAD LIVING

The first in a pair of intricately interconnected films, five women struggle to keep their decaying family hotel afloat.

Romania - DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD

A production assistant attempts to cast actors for a workplace safety video in this wry, absurdist satire of capitalism in the digital age.

Senegal - BANEL & ADAMA

Rebellious young lovers challenge tradition in this mesmerizing and emotionally charged romantic drama tinged with magical realism

South Korea - CONCRETE UTOPIA

After a devastating earthquake, the residents of the last remaining apartment building in Seoul must fight both outsiders and each other for survival.

Sudan - GOODBYE JULIA

Two women from different class and racial backgrounds form a dangerous bond against the tumultuous backdrop of South Sudan’s impending secession.

Tunisia - FOUR DAUGHTERS

An artistic Cannes-winning tour-de-force blending documentary and fiction that explores the secret trauma at the heart of a Tunisian family.

Turkey - ABOUT DRY GRASSES

The harsh beauty of Turkish provincial life is highlighted in this intense character study of a teacher under investigation for inappropriate behavior.

United Kingdom - THE ZONE OF INTEREST

The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig strive to build a dream life for their family in a house next to the camp.

Yemen - THE BURDENED

Beleaguered parents Isra’a and Ahmed are forced to make a difficult decision when they receive some unsettling news: Isra’a is pregnant again.