The race to represent Czechia at the 2027 Academy Awards has narrowed to five contenders, with members of the Czech Film and Television Academy (ČFTA) now voting to determine the country’s official submission in the Best International Feature Film category.
Following an initial review by a seven-member selection committee, the shortlist includes Chica Checa, If Pigeons Turned Into Gold, Invincibles, What a Way to Go, and Little Thief (pictured at top). The winning film will be announced on Aug. 19 before being submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for Oscar consideration.
Five films advance to final academy vote
This year’s Oscar selection process began with 10 eligible Czech productions submitted by their producers. To qualify, films had to meet AMPAS eligibility rules and be scheduled for theatrical release between Oct. 1, 2025, and Sept. 30, 2026.
The initial field included Dream Team, Chica Checa, If Pigeons Turned to Gold, Don’t Worry, Breathe, Work Your Magic, Invincibles, Lone Wolf, What a Way to Go, Little Thief, Dancing with the Bear, and František Skála’s Public Space.
After viewing all eligible films and evaluating presentations from each producing team outlining international distribution and festival strategies, the committee selected five finalists through a confidential vote.
The committee consisted of filmmaker Kristina Dufková, screenwriter Petr Jarchovský, producer Jaromír Kallista, producer Jiří Konečný, producer Dagmar Sedláčková, producer Vratislav Šlajer, and documentary filmmaker Klára Tasovská, who chaired the panel.
The final five represent a diverse cross-section of Czech cinema, while several anticipated contenders—including Dream Team, Dancing With the Bear, Lone Wolf, and the documentaries Don’t Be Afraid, Breathe, Cast a Spell and František Skála’s Public Space—did not advance beyond the preliminary round.
The second round of voting is now open to eligible ČFTA members who do not have a conflict of interest with any of the nominated productions.
Voting rules and Oscar timeline
Unlike the preliminary committee, the final selection is made by the wider Czech Film and Television Academy membership through a secure online voting system. Each eligible member may cast one vote, but only after confirming that they have watched all five shortlisted films. Academy members who are credited as professional collaborators on any nominated film are not permitted to vote.
Should two films receive the same number of votes, the title that received more support in the first round of voting will be selected. If that result is also tied, the Czech nominee would be determined by a drawing conducted under the supervision of a notary.
The Czech selection process is designed not only to identify the strongest artistic candidate but also the film considered best positioned for an international awards campaign. During the first round, producers were required to present their plans for overseas distribution and festival exposure alongside their films.
The selected film will become Czechia’s official submission to AMPAS for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. Each country may submit a single title, with the Academy later announcing a shortlist before revealing the five final nominees.
The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
ČFTA will announce Czechia’s official Oscar submission on Aug. 19. The selected film must then be formally submitted to AMPAS by the Academy’s international feature film entry deadline, which falls in early October under this year’s awards calendar.
