Bashir movie on Bafta shortlist

Animated documentary Waltz with Bashir, in which an ex-Israeli soldier relives a massacre, is among the five titles up for Bafta's 2009 foreign film award.

Persepolis, another animation about a woman's memories of growing up in Iran in the 1970s, is also up for the best film not in the English language prize.

Germany's The Baader Meinhof Complex and French picture I've Loved You So Long are also in contention.

Italian mob drama Gomorrah completes this year's shortlist.

Based on a bestselling expose of organised crime in Naples, the film is being released in the US next month with a personal endorsement from director Martin Scorsese.

Specific expertise

The nominees are announced ahead of the other award nominations to give Bafta members more time to view the titles in contention.

The shortlist was decided by Academy voting members with specific foreign film expertise.

Last year's foreign film Bafta went to German film The Lives of Others, which had won the foreign film Oscar the previous year.

The 2009 Bafta Film Awards will be held on until 8 February at London's Royal Opera House.

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