List of submissions to the 29th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
In 1956, the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) asked individual countries to submit their best films of the year for the inaugural Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. In previous years, the Foreign Language Oscar was not a regular award, and there were no nominees- a winner was simply announced at the Oscar ceremony.
Eight countries from Western Europe and East Asia submitted films for consideration for the first award, and five of these were selected as Oscar nominees.
The inaugural winner, Italy's La Strada, was announced at the Oscar ceremony, which took place on March 27, 1957.
| Country | Film title used in nomination | Original title | Language(s) | Director(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Denmark |
Qivitoq | Qivitoq | Danish | Erik Balling | Nominee |
 France |
Gervaise | Gervaise | French | René Clément | Nominee |
 West Germany |
The Captain of Köpenick | Der Hauptmann von Köpenick | German | Helmut Käutner | Nominee |
 Italy |
La strada | La Strada | Italian | Federico Fellini | Won Academy Award |
 Japan |
The Burmese Harp | ビルマの竪琴 | Japanese | Kon Ichikawa | Nominee |
 Philippines |
Anak Dalita | Anak Dalita | Tagalog | Lamberto V. Avellana | Not Nominated |
 Spain |
Afternoon of the Bulls | Tarde de Toros | Spanish | Ladislao Vajda | Not Nominated |
 Sweden |
The Staffan Stolle Story | Ratataa | Swedish | Hasse Ekman | Not Nominated |
Source: Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
