A record breaking 71 countries have submitted movies for the prize of Best Foreign-Language movie at February’s 85th’s annual Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences confirmed this week.

This year’s batch of submissions includes entries from Kenta (Nairobi Half Half) and Kyrgyzstan (The Empty House), helping to push the tally beyond the previous record of 67 countries. Though there’s a fine array of movies on offer this year, attention is understandably fixed on Michael Haneke’s ‘Amour’ (Austria) – winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Haneke’s story of love tested under severe circumstances is highlighted as one of the year’s finest movies – full stop – and will take all the beating come February. It’s likely that the film will receive nominations in the major categories too. The category’s 2011 winner ‘A Separation’ also received a nod for the original screenplay prize, though Iran announced it would not enter a movie for 2012 in protest against the U.S. anti-Islam video that has gained notoriety in recent months. Elsewhere, Australia’s ‘Lore’ and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ‘Children of Sarajevo’ receive submissions on the back of positive reviews.

The full list of submissions are as followed; Afghanistan, "The Patience Stone," Atiq Rahimi Albania, "Pharmakon," Joni Shanaj Algeria, "Zabana!" Said Ould Khelifa Argentina, "Clandestine Childhood," Benjamín Ávila Armenia, "If Only Everyone," Natalia Belyauskene Australia, "Lore," Cate Shortland Austria, "Amour," Michael Haneke Azerbaijan, "Buta," Ilgar Najaf Bangladesh, "Pleasure Boy Komola," Humayun Ahmed Belgium, "Our Children," Joachim Lafosse Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Children of Sarajevo," Aida Begic Brazil, "The Clown," Selton Mello Bulgaria, "Sneakers," Valeri Yordanov and Ivan Vladimirovs Cambodia, "Lost Loves," Chhay Bora Canada, "War Witch," Kim Nguyen Chile, "No," Pablo Larraín China, "Caught in the Web," Chen Kaige Colombia, "The Snitch Cartel," Carlos Moreno Croatia, "Vegetarian Cannibal," Branko Schmidt Czech Republic, "In the Shadow," David Ondrícek Denmark, "A Royal Affair," Nikolaj Arcel Dominican Republic, "Jaque Mate," José María Cabral Estonia, "Mushrooming," Toomas Hussar Finland, "Purge," Antti J. Jokinen France, "The Intouchables," Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledanos Georgia, "Keep Smiling," Rusudan Chkonia Germany, "Barbara," Christian Petzold Greece, "Unfair World," Filippos Tsitos Greenland, "Inuk," Mike Magidson Hong Kong, "Life without Principle," Johnnie To Hungary, "Just the Wind," Bence Fliegauf Iceland, "The Deep," Baltasar Kormákur India, "Barfi!" Anurag Basu Indonesia, "The Dancer," Ifa Isfansyah Israel, "Fill the Void," Rama Burshtein Italy, "Caesar Must Die," Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Tavianis Japan, "Our Homeland," Yang Yonghi Kazakhstan, "Myn Bala: Warriors of the Steppe," Akan Satayev Kenya, "Nairobi Half Life," David 'Tosh' Gitonga Kyrgyzstan, "The Empty Home," Nurbek Egen Latvia, "Gulf Stream under the Iceberg," Yevgeny Pashkevich Lithuania, "Ramin," Audrius Stonys Macedonia, "The Third Half," Darko Mitrevski Malaysia, "Bunohan," Dain Iskandar Said Mexico, "After Lucia," Michel Franco Morocco, "Death for Sale," Faouzi Bensaïdi Netherlands, "Kauwboy," Boudewijn Koole Norway, "Kon-Tiki," Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandbergs Palestine, "When I Saw You," Annemarie Jacir Peru, "The Bad Intentions," Rosario García-Montero Philippines, "Bwakaw," Jun Robles Lana Poland, "80 Million," Waldemar Krzystek Portugal, "Blood of My Blood," João Canijo Romania, "Beyond the Hills," Cristian Mungiu Russia, "White Tiger," Karen Shakhnazarov Serbia, "When Day Breaks," Goran Paskaljevic Singapore, "Already Famous," Michelle Chong Slovak Republic, "Made in Ash," Iveta Grofova Slovenia, "A Trip," Nejc Gazvoda South Africa, "Little One," Darrell James Roodt South Korea, "Pieta," Kim Ki-duk Spain, "Blancanieves," Pablo Berger Sweden, "The Hypnotist," Lasse Hallström Switzerland, "Sister," Ursula Meier Taiwan, "Touch of the Light," Chang Jung-Chi Thailand, "Headshot," Pen-ek Ratanaruang Turkey, "Where the Fire Burns," Ismail Gunes Ukraine, "The Firecrosser," Mykhailo Illienko Uruguay, "The Delay," Rodrigo Plá Venezuela, "Rock, Paper, Scissors," Hernán Jabes Vietnam, "The Scent of Burning Grass," Nguyen Huu Muoi.