Franco-Turkish filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergüven scooped an Academy Award nomination in the best foreign language category for her debut motion picture "Mustang", Hollywood announced Thursday.

The French-produced coming-of-age drama will compete with "Embrace of the Serpent" from Colombia," Son of Saul" from Hungary, "Theeb" from Jordan and "A War" from Denmark at the 88th Academy Awards.

The short film "Mustang" is about the struggle of women trying to win basic human rights in a patriarchal society.

The film is set in a northern village in Turkey where Lale (leading actress) and her four sisters live. One day they start playing innocently with some boys, but the patriarchal society they live in constrains them, as they are soon forced to focus on homemaking instead of school. The arranged marriages become too much for the five girls burning for freedom and independence.

The motion picture premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Directors' Fortnight section has been selected as the winner of the Europe Cinemas Label Award, 2015 Lux Film Prize and the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film award.

The 37-year-old female director's work was France's official submission to the Oscars.

Meanwhile, The Revenant topped all films with 12 nominations, including best picture.

The gritty frontier epic also earned nominations for its director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio's performance, among others.

Set in early 19th century America, the film depicts the survival story of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass.

Last week, the film won three top Golden Globe honors, including best motion picture drama, best director and best actor.

Mad Max: Fury Road followed with 10 nominations, including picks for best picture, director and editing honors.

Six other films are in competition for best picture prize: Spotlight; The Big Short; The Martian; Brooklyn; Bridge of Spies and Room.

The Martian scooped seven nominations, while Spotlight, Bridge of Spies and Carol received six nods each.

In addition to Inarritu, the nominees for best director are Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road), Adam McKay (The Big Short) and Lenny Abrahamson (Room).

Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Matt Damon (The Martian), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs) and Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) rounded up the best actor category, alongside DiCaprio.

The nominees for best actress include Cate Blanchett (Carol), Brie Larson (Room), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn), Jennifer Lawrence (Joy) and Charlotte Rampling (45 Years).

One of the highlights of the nominations is Sylvester Stallone, who was picked for best supporting actor for his classic role of Rocky Balboa in the sports drama Creed. The no-name boxer who overcame all obstacles to become a champion became a part of the American cultural lexicon.

Awards will be presented Feb. 28 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.


Nominees in some other fan favorite categories include:

Best supporting actor: Christian Bale (The Big Short); Tom Hardy (The Revenant); Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight); Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) and Stallone

Best supporting actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight); Rooney Mara (Carol); Rachel McAdams (Spotlight); Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina); Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

Best animated film: Anomalisa; Boy and the World; Inside Out; Shaun the Sheep Movie; When Marnie Was There

Best documentary feature: Amy; Cartel Land; The Look of Silence; What Happened, Miss Simone?; Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

Best original score: Thomas Newman (Bridge of Spies); Carter Burwell (Carol); Ennio Morricone (The Hateful Eight); Johann Johannsson (Sicario); John Williams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)