foreign language films which have been nominated for or won Academy Awards in categories other than the Foreign Language Film category itself . The Academy Awards , popularly known as the Oscars , are among the world 's oldest and most prestigious film prizes . They were first handed out on May 16 , 1929 by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , and have been given annually ever since . Even though a separate prize has existed for foreign language films since the 1956 Academy Awards , such films continue to be eligible for Academy Awards in other categories , including Best Picture , provided that they have been commercially released in Los Angeles County and that they comply with the special rules governing those categories . The French comedy '' À Nous la Liberté '' ( 1931 ) was the first foreign language film to be nominated for an Academy Award ; the German-language Swiss drama '' Marie-Louise '' ( 1944 ) was the first to actually win one
1956 Academy Awards
29th Academy Awards
List of foreign-language films nominated for Academy Awards