As the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continues to diversify its voting membership, with 55% of 2025’s invitees hailing from outside the U.S., these efforts have not only resulted in more international films like “Drive My Car” and “Emilia Pérez” earning nominations and even trophies across the board, but have also opened the gates for the director category to become more global.

Among this year’s strong international contenders for the director Oscar: Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”), Jafar Panahi (“It Was Just an Accident”), Park Chan-wook (“No Other Choice”), Kleber Mendonça Filho (“The Secret Agent”), Kaouther Ben Hania (“The Voice of Hind Rajab”), Oliver Laxe (“Sirāt”) and Annemarie Jacir (“Palestine 36”). While some of these filmmakers have had their films shortliste

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