"Elle" has been selected to represent France at the Academy Awards.

The film by Paul Verhoeven, tells the story of a successful businesswoman who gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse as she tracks down the unknown man who raped her. The film stars Isabelle Huppert, whose performance will now be on most Oscar's pundits lists for Best Actress.

Ever since making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Huppert has been the center of the film's buzz. If France does not get nominated for the Foreign Language category there is a chance the Academy will recognize Huppert. This happened in 2006 when Penelope Cruz was nominated for "Volver" and in 2013 when Marion Cotillard was nominated for "Two Days One Night." Both films were submitted by their respective countries but were not nominated in the Foreign Language category. Instead the academy recognized the actress' performances.

"Elle" recently played at the Toronto and the New York Film Festivals and Sony Pictures Classics will release the movie in November.

France has the record for most nominations as it has achieved 37 throughout its Oscar history. Additionally it has won nine Oscars including three honorary awards. It last won in 1992 for the film "Indochine" and was nominated last year for the film "Mustang." "Mustang' was among the films nominated directed by a woman and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it won at the Director's Fortnight.

"Elle" joins fellow Sony Pictures Classics submissions "Land of Mine," "Toni Erdmann" and "Julieta. The company has dominated the Foreign Language category for years and next this year it will likely be at the forefront of the competition. However, all four films will compete against Italy's "Fire at Sea," Georgia's "House of Others," Romania's "Sieranevada," Belgium's "The Ardennes," Greece's "Chevalier," Estonia's "Mother," and Bosnia's "Death in Sarajevo."

The Foreign Language Film deadline to submit is Oct. 3. On Jan. 17 the Academy will announce the nine finalists from among the eligible films and on Jan. 24 nominations will be announced. The winner will be announced at the Oscar ceremony on Feb. 26.

Related