As usual, anything is possible in this most erratic of categories, but there is no shortage of quality cinema among the 45 movies which have been entered by their countries. With such a high standard the following may not make it into the final five: Eternity and a Day (Greece), The Inheritors (Austria), The Barber of Siberia (Russia), The Polish Bride (Netherlands) and The Powder Keg (Yugoslavia).
Prediction: Run Lola Run (Germany), La Vita E Bella (Italy), The Dream Life of Angels (France), Central Station (Brazil), Festen/The Celebration (Denmark),
Michael Dwyer analyses the Oscar nominations on Wednesday's arts page. The Oscars will be presented on March 20th.