Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg's Kon-Tiki

Nine new foreign language films are vying for the top prize in international cinema at the 85th Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences narrowed the list after receving 71 entries from various countries around the world.

Atop the list, at least alphabetically speaking, is Michael Haneke's Amour, winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The Austrian movie also recently swept the European Film Awards. It opens in American movie theaters this weekend. Other finalists include Pablo Larrain's No from Chile and Cristian Mungiu's Beyond the Hills from Romania. All three films screened in the Main Slate of the 50th New York Film Festival.

Two films on the shortlist, Baltasar Kormákur's The Deep from Iceland and Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg's Kon-Tiki from Norway, will screen in January as part of Film Society's series And the Winner Is… Foreign Award Hopefuls.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

     Austria, Amour, Michael Haneke, director
     Canada, War Witch, Kim Nguyen, director
     Chile, No, Pablo Larraín, director
     Denmark, A Royal Affair, Nikolaj Arcel, director
     France, The Intouchables, Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, directors
     Iceland, The Deep, Baltasar Kormákur, director
     Norway, Kon-Tiki, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directors
     Romania, Beyond the Hills, Cristian Mungiu, director
     Switzerland, Sister, Ursula Meier, director

The five nominees for the Foreign Language Film Award will be chosen by a committee and the nominations will be announced on January 10, 2013. The Oscars  will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013.