ITALY

Films produced per year: 124.0

Best foreign language film nominations: 27

Wins: 13

It may not make the most movies per year, but the home of the legendary Cinecittà is an Oscar powerhouse. Italy has taken home more statuettes in the Best Foreign Language category than any other country since 1947, when Vittorio de Sica's neo-realist Shoe-Shine won the award the first year it was given out. Italy owes a large part of its success to its best-known director, Federico Fellini, whose films won the award four times -- more than any other director. Fellini also received 12 nominations for writing and directing, and won a lifetime achievement award in 1993.

Actress Sophia Loren won for best actress for De Sica's 1960 film Two Women. She also received a lifetime achievement award in 1991. At the 1996 awards, Il Postino was nominated for Best Picture, losing out to Bravehart. Interestingly, despite its global acclaim, Il Postino wasn't Italy's submission for Best Foreign Language Film that year. That was the moviemaking drama The Star Maker, which received a nomination but didn't win. At the 1999 awards, the Holocaust comedy Life Is Beautiful received nine nominations and won three, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor for Roberto Benigni. Benigni's exuberant reaction to his award has become something of a classic Oscar moment.

SOUTH KOREA

Films produced per year: 118.4

Best foreign language film nominations: 0

Wins: 0

Despite its increasing commercial success, the Korean film industry has yet to crack the Oscar code. It's not for lack of trying -- South Korea has been submitting movies for the Best Foreign Language category since 1962. (Four of its earliest submissions were directed by Shin Sang-ok, later best known for being kidnapped by North Korea to direct the Dear Leader's cheesy Godzilla knockoffs.)

Several South Korean films have enjoyed international commercial success in recent years, including the blood-soaked revenge thriller Oldboy, monster movie The Host, and the gritty drama Mother. Hopefully, Korea's Oscar drought will be ending soon.

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