The Edge of Heaven

Germany decided to take a risk, and nominated the movie "The Edge of Heaven" (German title: Auf der Anderen Seite) for Best Foreign-Language Film at the 2008 Academy Awards. The movie is the second in the series directed by Fatih Akin Head. The first in the series, called "Head On" won the top Golden Bear award at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival. This year's movie won the award for best screen play at the Cannes Film Festival.

With all of that going for it, why is it a risk as an Academy Award nominee? Well, the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences has notoriously narrow tastes. And this movie has no Nazis nor Stasis.