Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh

Shortlisted in the category for the best original screenplay, this is an English comedy which will make you smile. Sally Hawkins, who won a Golden Globe for the best actress (music/ comedy section), plays Poppy, a cheerfully optimistic schoolteacher in her thirties

Mike Leigh’s widescreen film is set in London

Revanche - Götz Spielmann

Already awarded the best European film in the ‘panorama’ section of the 2008 Berlin international film festival, this is a dark Austrian film about Alex’s thirst for revenge. Johannes Krisch plays an employee at a brothel in Vienna, whose girlfriend is killed

European film goes dark in Vienna

Slumdog Millionaire - Danny Boyle

Amongst the favourites of this 81st edition, the story of an orphan from the Indian slums who is about to win ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’. Accused of cheating, the young Jamal Malik has to explain how he has obtained his knowledge and talk about his life on the streets. The British film is represented in ten categories, one of them being for best film

The Trainspotting director does Bollywood

Waltz with Bashir - Ari Folman

In this animated feature autobiography, Ari Folman explores his painful past at the time of the Lebanon war in the eighties. A co-production between Israel, France and Germany, the film won a Golden Globe for best foreign film

The animated film is also a French-German production

In Bruges - Martin McDonagh

Two hitmen seek refuge in Bruges after an job went wrong. They try to leave the job behind them in the Belgium town until their boss asks them to retrace their tracks. Colin Farell is nominated as best actor, and has already won a Golden Globe for his role. This Belgium/ British film is also put forward for the best original screenplay

The Belgian city is a star in ‘In Bruges’

Other cafebabel.com picks:

| (Image: ©vickycristinabarcelona.com)Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Woody Allen

The American/ Spanish co-production has been put forward for Penelope Cruz as best supporting actress

| (Image: ©baadermeinhofcomplex.com)The Baader Meinhof Complex - Uli Edel 

The German production is in contention for the prize for the best foreign film

| (Image: ©Haut et Court)The Class - Laurent Cantet

Also in the category for the best foreign film, a social study in a French school

| (Image: ©thereader-movie.com)The Reader - Stephen Daldry

An American adaptation of the German best-seller up for the best film Oscar amongst other nominations