Since the 2006 (79th) Academy Awards, submitted films no longer have to be in the official language of the submitting country. This requirement had previously prevented countries from submitting films where most of the dialogue was spoken in a language that was non-native to the submitting country, and the academy's executive director explicitly cited as a reason for the rule change the case of the Italian film Private (2004), which was disqualified simply because its main spoken languages were Arabic and Hebrew, neither of which are indigenous languages of Italy."More Academy Resistance to Films from or About Palestine" , The Jerusalem Times, 2005-10-26. Retrieved November 2, 2007. This rule change enabled a country like Canada to receive a nomination for a Hindi-language film, Water. Previously, Canada had been nominated for French-language films only, since films shot in Canada's other official language (English) were ineligible for consideration for the Foreign Language Film category. Before the rule change, Canada had submitted two films in different languages—the invented-language film A Bullet in the Head in 1991 and the Inuktitut language film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner in 2001. Inuktitut, one of the country's aboriginal languages, is not official throughout Canada, but was (and still is) official in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Neither film earned a nomination. The rule change, however, did not affect the eligibility of non-English speaking American films, which are still disqualified from the category due to their nationality. Because of this, a Japanese-language film like Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) or a Mayan-language film like Apocalypto (2006) was unable to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, even though they were both nominated for (and, in the case of Letters from Iwo Jima, won) the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, which does not have similar nationality restrictions.Kilday, Gregg. "Apocalypto on foreign Globes list", The Hollywood Reporter, 2006-11-28. Retrieved November 9, 2007. The nationality restrictions also differ from the practice of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) for their analogous award for Best Film Not in the English Language. While BAFTA Award eligibility requires a commercial release in the United Kingdom, that body does not impose a nationality restriction.
SiNCe tHE 2006 (79th) acAdemY aWaRDs, submItTEd Films no loNGEr havE TO be In tHE OfFicial lanGUage oF tHe SUbmittInG CoUNtry. this rEQuIrEment hAd pReviOusly prevEnTed cOUntries fRoM SUbmittinG fILms whEre most Of thE dIaLoGue waS SPoken in a laNgUAge thaT WaS non-native to the SubmITTinG coUNtry, and ThE AcaDeMy's exEcutive diRector explIciTly CiteD as a reason fOr the rule chAnge THe case oF thE italiaN film prIVate (2004), wHICh Was DisquALified sImply beCAUSe its maIn Spoken langUAges were ARaBiC anD Hebrew, neIther Of whicH are InDigEnous LAnGuAges of italy."more acAdeMy reSistance tO fiLMS FroM or aBOuT paLeSTine" , The jeRusalem TiMes, 2005-10-26. RetRiEved nOvemBer 2, 2007. tHIs rULe chaNge eNAblEd A CouNtrY Like canADa to receIVe a NominaTIon for a hindi-LanGuaGE FiLm, water. prEviouSLy, CAnADa had been NominAted fOr fRench-laNGuagE filmS oNLy, SinCe fIlMS Shot IN CanaDa'S otHer OfficiAl langUAGe (eNglISh) were IneliGIble FoR consIderATiON fOr the fOreIGn LanGuage fiLm Category. BeFoRE thE RuLe change, CanAda had sUbmITtEd Two FilMs iN DIfFerENt laNguageS—The invEnteD-lAnGUage fIlm a BUllet in The heAd in 1991 and tHe inukTItut lAnGUAGE fIlm atanARJUat: thE FasT runneR In 2001. InUktiTut, oNE of the CouNtrY's AborigInal laNguagEs, Is Not official throUgHout canada, but waS (ANd stiLl Is) offICiAl in nUNavut And the noRthwEst territoriEs. neitHer fIlm eaRned a nomInATion. tHe ruLe cHANgE, howEVeR, dId nOt aFfEct tHE eLigiBIliTy of non-ENglish speakiNg aMerican filMs, which are stILl diSqUALIfiED from thE caTEGory due to TheiR NAtIOnaliTy. bEcause Of thIs, a JapaNeSE-lAnGuage FiLM Like letTeRs FRom Iwo JimA (2006) or A MayaN-lAnguage filM LikE apocalyptO (2006) wAs unable tO Compete For the Academy aWard for bESt foREigN lAnguagE filM, evEn thougH THeY werE bOTh nomiNated For (and, in The case OF lettErs FrOm IWo jima, Won) the GolDen globE awaRd for best foreigN LAnguAge fiLm, WHich does NoT Have sImIlAr natiOnalIty reSTRiCtIoNs.kILdAy, greGg. "apOcaLypTo on fOreiGn globEs list", THe HollYwood reportEr, 2006-11-28. ReTRieVed noVembEr 9, 2007. the naTiOnality RestrIctions aLso DiFfer frOm The pRactiCe Of the briTiSh acadeMY of fIlm and teLEvIsION ArTs (bAFTa) fOr TheIr aNaloGoUs Award for besT fiLm noT In thE EnglISh lANGuaGe. While Bafta award eLigibility rEQUIRES A cOmmercIaL releaSE iN the uNited KiNgdOm, tHAt Body DoEs noT impOse A natioNAlIty rEstriCtiOn.