"Clash" will represent Egypt at the Academy Awards. The film by Mohamed Diab premiered at the Cannes Film festival in the Un Certain Regard sidebar and was the opening night for the sidebar. The film garnered rave reviews and later went on to screen at the Moscow and the Melbourne Film Festival. It will later screen at the London Film Festival later this year.

"Clash" hopes to land Egypt its first nomination as the country has never scored a nomination ever since it began submitting in 1958. It has also never made the January shortlist. However, the country did enjoy exposure when "The Square" was nominated for Best Documentary.

"Clash" may be one of the best chances the country has at a nomination especially since it bowed at Cannes and many Oscar Foreign Language winners have premiered at the croisette. Among the recent winners to premiere at Cannes include "Son of Saul," and "The Great Beauty."

Last year Egypt submitted "Factory Girl" which premiered at the Dubai Film Festival and played all over the world.

Every year countries around the world submit films to compete in the Foreign Language category. Among the films already selected this year include Venezuela's Golden Lion winner "From Afar," Bosnia and Herzegovina's "Death in Sarajevo" and Germany's critical darling "Toni Erdmann". Other films that have been submitted include Switzerland's "My Life as a Courgette" and Romania's Cannes Competition film "Sieranevada."

The deadline for the foreign language category is Oct. 3 with the Academy announcing a list of eligible films later that month. 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, 2017.

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