In total 254 movies will compete at the 76th Academy Awards at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on 29 February.

It amounts to 25 fewer films than 2003, when 279 movies were put forward to be judged by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Nominations will be announced on 27 January at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles.

Nomination ballots and a complete list of the 254 eligible films were posted to Academy members this week.

Eligible films must have a running length of more than 40 minutes and have appeared in cinemas during 2003 for at least a week.

Documents in support of the competing films had to be submitted to the Academy by 1 December.

Movies in the categories for documentary, foreign language, animated feature and short film are selected by separate Academy voting panels.

(Agencies)