As the 84th Annual Academy Awards draw nearer (airing Sunday, Feb. 26 on ABC), more and more people are rushing to theaters to see the nominated films.

However, the films of one category in particular are rarely shown at local cinemas. Foreign-Language films are an important part of the Oscar ceremony, and each year many films are nominated but few people actually see them.

This year, students and residents of Santa Barbara are in luck. UCSB’s own Carsey-Wolf Center, a research collaboration located between the Communication and Film & Media Studies departments, will be holding screenings of the 2012 Foreign-Language Oscar Nominees.

The films will be screened in the brand new, state-of-the-art Pollock Theater, which is reason enough to attend. Furthermore, each film screening will be preceded by an Oscar-nominated live action or animated short film.

The films begin on Tuesday, Feb. 14 with Canada’s “Monsieur Lazhar,” which follows an Algerian teacher who attempts to help a class of elementary school children recover after their teacher dies. The next day, Pollock will screen the much-anticipated Iranian film, “A Separation.” Belgium’s “Bullhead” a.k.a. “Rundskop” will play on Thursday, and Poland’s “In Darkness” will play Friday. The last film to screen will be Israel’s “FOOTNOTE” a.k.a. “Hearat Shulayim,” which tells the story of a father-and-son power struggle at the University of Jerusalem. Each film begins at 7:30 p.m. in Pollock Theater.

Not only is this a great opportunity to see these remarkable films, but students gain admission for a discounted price. Tickets are $5 for UCSB students and $10 for community members, available for purchase online or at the door (up to one hour before the screening). So, make sure you are prepared for this year’s Academy Awards, and see these films!

For more information on the Carsey-Wolf Center or the Foreign-Language Oscar-nominated films please visit www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/academyscreenings.