Alice Springs filmmaker Warwick Thornton and his award-winning drama Samson and Delilah have taken a major leap toward Oscar glory.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced Samson and Delilah made the short list for the best foreign language Oscar.
The Academy slashed its list of foreign language film entries from 65 to nine on Wednesday, with Samson and Delilah one of the survivors.
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Thornton and Samson and Delilah have to clear one final barrier to make it to 82nd Academy Awards ceremony at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on March 7.
A "specially invited committee" will cut the nine remaining films to five on January 31.
The five survivors will be the nominees and compete for the Oscar.
"The short list will be winnowed down to the five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles," the Academy announced.
"They will spend Friday, January 29, through Sunday, January 31, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots."
The final five nominees will be announced with all other categories at the Academy's nomination ceremony in Beverly Hills on February 2.
Samson and Delilah stars first-time actors Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson and tells the "survival love story" of two 14-year-olds living in a remote Aboriginal community who steal a car and drive to Alice Springs.
Actors speak in English and Warlpiri.
Thornton has picked up awards for Samson and Delilah across the globe, including the Camera d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and eight Australian Film Institute Awards, including best picture, director, original screenplay and cinematography.
The eight other films on the Academy foreign language short-list
are: El Secreto de Sus Ojos (Argentina); The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner (Bulgaria); Un Prophete (France); The White Ribbon (Germany); Ajami (Israel); Kelin (Kazakhstan); Winter in Wartime (The Netherlands); and The Milk of Sorrow (Peru).
The White Ribbon is the frontrunner after claiming the foreign language Golden Globe on the weekend.
