AICN’s Harry Knowles, whose favorite movie of 2008 is Let the Right One In -- a Swedish film – thinks that the rules for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award are broken (and I agree):

[B]ecause its country of origin didn’t offer it up as the film representing its country, it will not even be considered for BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM, which at the very least… it is. This is why that award in the Academy Awards is broken. When you depend upon a host nation to offer up a film for consideration for BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM, you are forced to consider only the films that the nation in question feels artistically represent their country. As a result, films critical of their current country’s policies and politics - won’t be offered up.

I haven’t seen LTROI yet, but I’ve heard excellent things.