Ten titles competed: Cowboys by Tomislav Mršić, Projections by Zrinko Ogresta, Lapitch the Little Shoemaker by Silvije Petranović, One Shot by Robert Orhel, Quiet by Lukas Nola, Simon Magus by Petar Orešković, Happy Endings by Darko Šuvak, Vis-à-vis by Nevio Marasović, Tension by Filip Šovagović, and Number 55 by Kristijan Milić.

A commission consisting of 17 members, representatives of all the branches of the Croatian Filmmakers’ Association, by way of a secret ballot chose the film Cowboys, directed by Tomislav Mršić and produced by Suzana Pandek from the Kabinet production company.

Cowboys are a comedy about a group which decide, led by a stage director, to put on a show based on a classic Hollywood western. By embracing genre stereotypes – the fight between good and evil, the clash between civilisation and wilderness – the actors develop their own stories, and as the time passes, the show becomes a metaphor of their destinies and they cling to it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The film stars Saša Anočić, Živko Anočić, Matija Antolić, Hrvoje Barišić, Nikša Butijer, Kruno Klabučar, Ivana Rushaidat, Rakan Rushaidat and Radovan Ruždjak. It was written and directed by Tomislav Mršić, shot by Predrag Dubravčić and edited by Hrvoje Mršić.

The short list of best foreign film candidates for the 87th Oscar ceremony will be released in December and the final selection of five nominees will be known on 15 January. The ceremony takes place on 22 February 2015 in Los Angeles.