The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film every year since the award was created in 1956.

[1] The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue.

[4] Uruguay, whose submission for the 65th Academy Awards was disqualified, submitted an eligible film for the first time.

The Academy released a list of the five nominees for the award on February 12, 2002.

[5] Bosnia and Herzegovina won the award for the first time with No Man's Land by Danis Tanović.