Some of the best foreign-language films of the year will have no chance at winning the Academy Award for best foreign language film, due to industry politics and an outmoded set of rules regarding which films can be considered. “Every country designates a group that presents a single film to the Academy, which has special committees that winnow submissions down to the five nominees announced in January.” So what if your country actually managed to crank out more than one Oscar-worthy picture this year? Tough. And if you’re a director with an enemy or two on your country’s panel? Gee, that’s a shame. See you next year. Maybe.