As the Oct. 3 deadline nears for countries to reveal which pic will represent them in the Oscar race for best foreign-language film, quite a few are already known.

Australia — "Ten Canoes" is about an Aboriginal man who lusts after one of his brother's wives, but resists when told a mythical parallel story with an unhappy ending. First film shot using all Ganalbingu language.

Brazil — "Movies, Aspirin and Vultures" by Marcelo Gomes is a road movie about the newbie director's uncle. The positive response it received at Cannes helped it to be chosen over 13 rivals as an Oscar submission.

Canada — The submission of Hindi-language "Water" reflects the new Oscar rule permitting a film to feature any mix of languages as long as the chief one isn't English. "Water" dramatizes the woes of widows in India, directed by India-born Canadian resident Deepa Mehta. Reportedly, Steven Spielberg has called her latest work one of the best films he's seen in the past five years.

Denmark — Susanne Bier's "After the Wedding" is about the manager of an Indian orphanage who discovers a shocking family secret.

Finland — Aki Kaurismaki's "Lights in the Dusk" is about the misadventures of a lonely nighwatchman.

France — Daniele Thompson's "Orchestra Seats" is a comedy about a hotel chambermaid and a snooty, rich artsy crowd.

Germany — "The Lives of Others" is an expose of life in old East Germany under the probing eyes of the Stasi secret police. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's feature debut was fawned over by U.S. film critics at Telluride and Toronto film fests. It won best picture and director at the German Film Awards earlier this year. Sony Pictures Classics plans to give it a major push in U.S. theaters.

Japan — "Hula Girls" by director Lee Sang-il is about a poor Japanese mining town that tries to improve its fortunes by building a Hawaiian village to attract tourists. Debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Netherlands — Paul Verhoeven's "Black Book" is about a Jewish singer in the Dutch Resistance during World War II. The fiery performance by unknown actress Carice van Houten reaped huzzahs at the Toronto film fest.

Philippines — "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" is a gay love story by first-time feature director Auraeus Solito. The tale of a 12-year-old boy who looks after his family of crooks while falling for a hot cop reaped top awards at Berlin, Rotterdam and Hong Kong film fests.

Romania — Catalin Mitulescu's "The Way I Spent the End of the World" centers on a young sister and brother in the last days of the brutish Ceausescu dictatorship. It won a Sundance/NHK Intl. Filmmakers' award in 2005 when still in development.

South Korea — Jun-ik Lee's "King and the Clown" about a gay sex scandal in the court of a crazy king was such a huge hit at theaters that it set a new box-office record. It was named the country's Oscar entry over Bong Joon-ho's "The Host" and Kim Ki-duk's "Time." No Korean film has ever been nommed for best foreign film.

Photos: Carice van Houten seduces Nazis to stay alive in Dutch Oscar entry "Black Book." The Philippines proudly submits a controversial boy-man love tale. U.S. film critics gushed madly over "The Lives of Others" at Telluride and Toronto film fests.
(Fu Works/UFO Pictures/ Sony Pictures Classics)