Directors representing a high profile crop of submissions for this years best international feature Oscar race will be sharing the stage in the Windy City this weekend.

The 61st Chicago International Film Festival confirmed the details today for its International Contenders Panel: World Cinema Now!, a discussion featuring auteurs representing their countrys official submissions for next Marchs Academy Awards. The Hollywood Reporter senior writer Seth Abramovitch will also be making the trip to Chicago to moderate the conversation. The panel, part of the festivals industry days program, is set to take place at the festivals main meeting place, the AMC Newcity 14, on Saturday, Oct. 18. Its a free event but requires a ticket to secure entrance. The contenders panel will feature Thailands Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (A Useful Ghost), Chiles Diego Cspedes (The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo), Belgiums Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Young Mothers), Polands Agnieszka Holland (Franz), North Macedonias Tamara Kotevska (The Tale of Silyan), Tunisias Odessa Rae (producer of The Voice of Hind Rajab), and Colombias Simn Mesa Soto (A Poet).

This years festival also boasts 16 selections that will serve as their respective countrys Oscar submissions, along with two selections from last years fest that made the cut. The former list includes Argentinas Beln, Tajikistans Black Rabbit, White Rabbit, Moroccos Calle Malaga, Frances It Was Just an Accident, Taiwans Left-Handed Girl, Icelands The Love That Remains, Philippines Magellan, South Koreas No Other Choice, Hungarys Orphan, Palestines Palestine 36, Netherlands Reedland, Iraqs The Presidents Cake, Brazils The Secret Agent, Norways Sentimental Value, Spains Sirt, and Germans Sound of Falling. The two films from the fests 2024 roster that are in contention for the Oscar are Austrias Peacock and Dominican Republics Pepe.

The Chicago International Film Festival runs Oct. 15-26. Included in this years program are tributes, awards and retrospectives for such high profile artists as Spike Lee, Gus Van Sant, Joel Edgerton, Clint Bentley, Nia DaCosta, Euzhan Palcy, Kelly Reichardt, Hikari and more. The lineup can be found here. Industry Days sponsors include Adobe, Chicago Film Office, CineCity Studios, Cinespace Studios, Fannie May, Heineken Silver, Illinois Film Office, Illinois Production Alliance, MUBI, Panavision, SAGindie and Titos Vodka.

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