The following eleven German films were submitted to German Films by German producers and qualify for the final selection:

23000 LIVES (23000 LEBEN) by Markus Goller (Neue Flimmer)
OH - THIS UNSPEAKABLE VOID (ACH, DIESE LÜCKE, DIESE ENTSETZLICHE LÜCKE) by Simon Verhoeven (Komplizen Film)
BABYSTAR (BABYSTAR) by Joscha Bongard (LiseLotte Films)
THE DREAMED ADVENTURE (DAS GETRÄUMTE ABENTEUER) by Valeska Grisebach (Komplizen Film)
TRIAL OF HEIN (DER HEIMATLOSE) by Kai Staenicke (TamTam Film)
EVERYTIME (EVERYTIME) by Sandra Wollner (The Barricades)
VISITATION (HEIMSUCHUNG) by Volker Schloendorff (Ziegler Film)
MINOTAUR (MINOTAURUS) by Andrei Zvyagintsev (Razor Film Produktion) - provisionally
NO GOOD MEN (NO GOOD MEN) by Shahrbanoo Sadat (Adomeit Film)
YOU BELIEVE IN ANGELS, MR. DROWAK? (SIE GLAUBEN AN ENGEL, HERR DROWAK?) by Nicolas Steiner (Ziegler Film Baden-Baden)
PROSECUTION (STAATSSCHUTZ) by Faraz Shariat (Jünglinge Film)

The independent German Oscar® selection committee includes participants of the following organizations:

• PROG - Producers of Germany
• German Producers‘ Alliance
• German World Sales Association
• Screenwriters' Guild of Germany
• Association of Independent German Film Distributors (AG Verleih-Verband unabhängiger Filmverleiher)
• Association of German Film Theatres (HdF Kino e.V.)
• German Directors' Association
• German Film Academy (2x)

Due to the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® that were amended this spring, two major German films are already eligible for submission in the “International Feature Film” category. Visar Morina’s SHAME AND MONEY (VON SCHAM UND GELD) qualified by winning the “Grand Jury Prize” at the Sundance Film Festival, as did İlker Çatak’s YELLOW LETTERS (GELBE BRIEFE) by winning the Golden Bear at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival.

The 15-title "shortlist" of eligible films for „International Feature Film“ will be announced on December 15, 2026.

The five nominated titles that will ultimately enter the race will be released on January 21, 2027.

The Academy Awards® ceremony will take place on March 14, 2027.