Syria, Haiti 1st time contenders in Oscars foreign category

Syria and Haiti are the first- time entrants in the Best Foreign Language film category at the next year's Academy Awards where India's "Newton" will also compete.
A total of six new entries also include Honduras, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mozambique and Senegal.
A record 92 countries have submitted movies for consideration in the category for the 90th Oscars, according to a release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
"Newton", a black comedy on the foibles of democracy, has been chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category. The film is directed by Amit Masurkar and features Rajkummar Rao, Anjali Patil and Pankaj Tripathi.

The movie faces tough competition in the race where movies such as Angelina Jolie's Cambodian war drama "First They Killed My Father", Martin Scorsese-produced "A Ciambra" from Italy, Pakistan's "Saawan", Sweden's "The Square", Germany's "In the Fade" by Fatih Akin are also competing.
The nominations for the awards will be announced on January 23.
The Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 4 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood.