The following 45 films, all from different countries, were submitted for the 71st Academy Awards in the category Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (release at the country of origin November 1, 1997 - October 31, 1998, ceremony March 1999). The five nominated films came from Argentina, Brazil, Iran, Italy (winner) and Spain. The Academy had initially invited 73 countries to submit their films.[1]
Kyrgyzstan submitted a film for the first time, and Lebanon & Morocco both returned to the competition after a 20-year absence.
| Country | Film title used in nomination | Language | Original name | Director | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Tango | (Spanish) | Tango, no me dejes nunca | Carlos Saura | Nominee |
| Austria | The Inheritors | (German) | Die Siebtelbauern | Stefan Ruzowitzky | Not Nominated |
| Belgium | Rosie | (Dutch) | Rosie | Patrice Toye | Not Nominated |
| Brazil | Central Station | (Portuguese) | Central do Brasil | Walter Salles | Nominee |
| Canada | August 32nd on Earth | (French) | Un 32 Août sur Terre | Denis Villeneuve | Not Nominated |
| China | Genghis Khan | (Chinese) (Mongolian) |
一代天骄成吉思汗 | Sai Fu & Lisi Mai | Not Nominated |
| Colombia | La Vendedora De Rosas | (Spanish) | La Vendedora de Rosas | Victor Gaviria | Not Nominated |
| Croatia | Transatlantic | (Croatian) | Transatlantik | Mladen Juran | Not Nominated |
| Czech Republic | Sekal Has to Die | (Czech) | Je třeba zabít Sekala | Vladimir Michalek | Not Nominated |
| Denmark | The Celebration | (Danish) | Festen | Thomas Vinterberg | Not Nominated |
| Finland | A Summer By the River | (Finnish) | Kuningasjätkä | Markku Polonen | Not Nominated |
| France | The Dreamlife of Angels | (French) | La vie rêvée des anges | Erick Zonca | Not Nominated |
| Germany | Run Lola Run | (German) | Lola rennt | Tom Tykwer | Not Nominated |
| Greece | Eternity and a Day | (Greek) | Μια αιωνιότητα και μια μέρα | Theo Angelopoulos | Not Nominated |
| Hong Kong | Made in Hong Kong | (Chinese)[2] | 香港製造 | Fruit Chan | Not Nominated |
| Hungary | Gypsy Lore | (Hungarian) | Romani kris - Cigánytörvény | Bence Gyongyossy | Not Nominated |
| Iceland | Count Me Out | (Icelandic) | Stikkfrí | Ari Kristinsson | Not Nominated |
| India | Jeans | (Tamil) | ஜீன்ஸ் | S. Shankar | Not Nominated |
| Indonesia | Leaf on a Pillow | (Indonesian) | Daun di atas bantal | Garin Nugroho | Not Nominated |
| Iran | Children of Heaven | (Persian) | بچه هاي آسمان | Majid Majidi | Nominee |
| Israel | Circus Palestine | (Hebrew) (Arabic) (Russian) |
קרקס פלשתינה سرك فلسطين |
Eyal Halfon | Not Nominated |
| Italy | Life Is Beautiful | (Italian) | La vita è bella | Roberto Benigni | Won Academy Award |
| Japan | Begging for Love | (Japanese) | 愛を乞う人 | Hideyuki Hirayama | Not Nominated |
| Kyrgyzstan | Beshkempir | (Kyrgyz) | Бешкемпир | Aktan Abdykalykov | Not Nominated |
| Lebanon | West Beyrouth | (Arabic) | غرب بيروت | Ziad Doueiri | Not Nominated |
| Luxembourg | Back in Trouble | (Luxembourgish) | Back in Trouble | Andy Bausch | Not Nominated |
| Macedonia | Goodbye, 20th Century | (Macedonian) | Збогум на 20-тиот век | Darko Mitrevski & Aleksandar Popovski | Not Nominated |
| Mexico | Un Embrujo | (Spanish) | Un Embrujo | Carlos Carrera | Not Nominated |
| Morocco | Mektoub | (Arabic) | مكتوب | Nabil Ayouch | Not Nominated |
| Netherlands | The Polish Bride | (Dutch), (Polish) | De Poolse bruid | Karim Traidia | Not Nominated |
| Norway | Only Clouds Move the Stars | (Norwegian) | Bare skyer beveger stjernene | Torun Lian | Not Nominated |
| Philippines | In the Navel of the Sea | (Tagalog) | Sa Pusod ng Dagat | Marilou Diaz-Abaya | Not Nominated |
| Portugal | Anxiety | (Portuguese) | Inquietude | Manoel de Oliveira | Not Nominated |
| Puerto Rico | Heroes from Another Country | (Spanish) | Heroes de Otra Patria | Ivan Dariel Ortiz | Not Nominated |
| Romania | Terminus Paradise | (Romanian) | Terminus Paradis | Lucian Pintilie | Not Nominated |
| Russia | The Barber of Siberia [3] | (English) | Сибирский цирюльник | Nikita Mikhalkov | Withdrawn |
| Slovakia | Rivers of Babylon | (Slovak) | Rivers of Babylon | Vlado Balco | Not Nominated |
| Spain | The Grandfather | (Spanish) | El Abuelo | José Luis Garci | Nominee |
| Sweden | Show Me Love | (Swedish) | Fucking Åmål | Lukas Moodysson | Not Nominated |
| Switzerland | War in the Highlands | (French) | La Guerre Dans le Haut Pays | Francis Reusser | Not Nominated |
| Taiwan | Flowers of Shanghai | (Chinese) | 海上花 | Hou Hsiao-Hsien | Not Nominated |
| Thailand | Who Is Running? | (Thai) | ท้าฟ้าลิขิต | Oxide Pang Chun | Not Nominated |
| United Kingdom | Cameleon | (Welsh) | Cameleon | Ceri Sherlock | Not Nominated |
| Venezuela | Loop | (Spanish) | Rizo | Julio Sosa Pietri | Not Nominated |
| Yugoslavia | The Powder Keg | (Serbian) | Bure baruta | Goran Paskaljević | Not Nominated |