The motion picture must be first released in the country submitting it no earlier than October 1, 2009, and no later than September 30, 2010, 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. It must be exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film or in a 24- or 48- frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels, source image format conforming to SMPTE 428-1-2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Image Characteristics; image compression (if used) conforming to ISO/IEC 15444-1 (JPEG 2000), and image and sound file formats suitable for exhibition in commercial Digital Cinema sites. The audio in a typical Digital Cinema Package (DCP) is 5.1 channels of discrete audio, and that is the preferred audio configuration. The minimum for a non-mono configuration of the audio shall be three channels as Left, Center, Right (a Left/Right configuration is not acceptable in a theatrical environment). The audio data shall be formatted in conformance with SMPTE 428-2-2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Audio Characteristics and SMPTE 428-3-2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Audio Channel Mapping and Channel Labeling.

The picture must be advertised and exploited during its eligibility run in a manner considered normal and customary to the industry. The picture need not have been released in the United States.

No type of television or Internet transmission may occur at any time prior to the motion picture’s theatrical release.

The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English. Accurate English subtitles are required.

The Academy will make the final determination in all questions of eligibility.

Each country shall be invited to submit its best motion picture to the Academy. Selection of that picture shall be made by one organization, jury or committee that should include artists and/or craftspeople from the field of motion pictures. A list of the selection committee members must be submitted to the Academy no later than August 2, 2010.

Only one picture will be accepted from each country.

The Academy will provide official entry forms to the proper committee in each country so that the producer of the selected picture can supply full information for that picture.

The official entry forms, together with a cast and credits list, a brief English language synopsis of the film, a biography and photograph of the director, still photographs, a poster, and an original newspaper or magazine clipping advertising the picture’s run, must be received in the Academy office not later than 5 p.m. PT on Friday, October 1, 2010. Other fact sheets also may be sent to further document the submission.

Prints or DCPs should be shipped prepaid for award consideration to arrive at the Academy no later than 5 p.m. PT on Friday, October 1, 2010.

The print submitted for award consideration must be identical in form with the final version in general release in the country submitting the motion picture.