Iceland has submitted films for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film since 1981. The Icelandic nominee is chosen annually in September by the Icelandic Film and Television Academy, which is also responsible for the Edda Awards.
As of 2026, Iceland has been nominated only once, for Children of Nature (1991).
Submissions The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film since 1956. The International Feature Film Committee oversees the process and reviews all the submitted films. Following this, they vote via secret ballot to determine the five nominees for the award.
The country's first submitted film was Land and Sons (1980) directed by Ágúst Guðmundsson.Friðrik Þór Friðriksson's films have been selected to represent Iceland six times, more than any other Icelandic director. Baltasar Kormákur has been selected five times, while Ágúst Guðmundsson and Hrafn Gunnlaugsson have each represented Iceland four times. In 1990, Guðný Halldórsdóttir became the first Icelandic woman to represent the country.
The Deep (2012),Lamb (2021), Godland (2023), and Touch (2024), advanced to the December shortlists, but were not nominated.
All films were primarily in Icelandic. Below is a list of the films that have been submitted by Iceland for review by the Academy for the award by year.
Year(Ceremony) English title Icelandic title Director Result 1980(53rd) Land and Sons Land og synir Ágúst Guðmundsson 1981(54th) Outlaw: The Saga of Gisli Útlaginn Ágúst Guðmundsson 1982(55th) Inter Nos Okkar á milli: Í hita og þunga dagsins Hrafn Gunnlaugsson 1983(56th) The House Húsið Egill Eðvarðsson 1984(57th) When the Raven Flies Hrafninn flýgur Hrafn Gunnlaugsson 1985(58th) Deep Winter Skammdegi Þráinn Bertelsson 1986(59th) The Beast Eins og skepnan deyr Hilmar Oddsson 1987(60th) White Whales Skytturnar Friðrik Þór Friðriksson 1988(61st) In the Shadow of the Raven Í skugga hrafnsins Hrafn Gunnlaugsson 1989(62nd) Under the Glacier Kristnihald undir jökli Guðný Halldórsdóttir 1990(63rd) The Adventures of Paper Peter Pappírs Pési Ari Kristinsson 1991(64th) Children of Nature Börn náttúrunnar Friðrik Þór Friðriksson 1992(65th) As in Heaven Svo á jörðu sem á himni Kristín Jóhannesdóttir 1993(66th) The Sacred Mound Hin helgu vé Hrafn Gunnlaugsson 1994(67th) Movie Days Bíódagar Friðrik Þór Friðriksson 1995(68th) Tears of Stone Tár úr steini Hilmar Oddsson 1996(69th) Devil's Island Djöflaeyjan Friðrik Þór Friðriksson 1997(70th) Blossi/810551 Júlíus Kemp 1998(71st) Count Me Out Stikkfrí Ari Kristinsson 1999(72nd) The Honour of the House Ungfrúin góða og húsið Guðný Halldórsdóttir 2000(73rd) Angels of the Universe Englar alheimsins Friðrik Þór Friðriksson 2001(74th) The Seagull's Laughter Mávahlátur Ágúst Guðmundsson 2002(75th) The Sea Hafið Baltasar Kormákur 2003(76th) Noi the Albino Nói Albínói Dagur Kari Petursson 2004(77th) Cold Light Kaldaljós Hilmar Oddsson 2005(78th) Ahead of Time Í takt við tímann Ágúst Guðmundsson 2006(79th) Children Börn Ragnar Bragason 2007(80th) Jar City Mýrin Baltasar Kormákur 2008(81st) White Night Wedding Brúðguminn Baltasar Kormákur 2009(82nd) Reykjavík-Rotterdam Óskar Jónasson 2010(83rd) Mamma Gógó Friðrik Þór Friðriksson 2011(84th) Volcano Eldfjall Rúnar Rúnarsson 2012(85th) The Deep Djúpið Baltasar Kormákur 2013(86th) Of Horses and Men Hross í oss Benedikt Erlingsson 2014(87th) Life in a Fishbowl Vonarstræti Baldvin Zophoníasson 2015(88th) Rams Hrútar Grímur Hákonarson 2016(89th) Sparrows Þrestir Rúnar Rúnarsson 2017(90th) Under the Tree Undir trénu Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson 2018(91st) Woman at War Kona fer í stríð Benedikt Erlingsson 2019(92nd) A White, White Day Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur Hlynur Pálmason 2020(93rd) Agnes Joy Silja Hauksdóttir 2021(94th) Lamb Dýrið Valdimar Jóhannsson 2022(95th) Beautiful Beings Berdreymi Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson 2023(96th) Godland Vanskabte land Hlynur Pálmason 2024(97th) Touch Snerting Baltasar Kormákur 2025(98th) The Love That Remains Ástin Sem Eftir Er Hlynur Pálmason 2026(99th) The Ground Beneath Our Feet Jörðin undir fótum okkar Yrsa Roca Fannberg
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