We are in rich period of international engagement: Academy president John bailey

Italy and France have 26 wins between them in the best foreign film Oscars but with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) increasing its "international engagement", the trend is changing, Academy president John Bailey said Tuesday.

India, which has been sending films for Oscar consideration since 1957, is yet to win a trophy in the category though there have been individual victories for Bhanu Athiya, A R Rahman and Resul Pookutty.

Only three Indian films -- "Mother India", "Salaam Bombay" and "Lagaan" -- have been nominated in the segment which was renamed as best international feature film category.

"I think we are in a very rich period of international engagement. In the past, there have been tremendous numbers of Eurocentric (wins). But there are multiple reasons for that, which have nothing to do with India," Bailey said in a press conference while responding to a question about Indian films not faring well at Oscars.

"If you go back, what we used to call the ...