Tahar Rahim was nominated as best actor for his role in the film, which also saw director Jacques Audiard nominated for European Screenwriter 2009 with Thomas Bidegain.

British film Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle, scooped five nominations, including best picture, best director and best actor for Dev Patel.

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar was nominated for best director for his latest film Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embraces), which stars Penelope Cruz.

The film is Almodovar's fourth collaboration with Cruz, nominated in the best actress category for her role as Lena, a secretary who ends up in a relationship with her wealthy boss Ernesto. Also an aspiring actress, she is spotted by the charismatic director Mateo Blanco, played by Lluis Homar, with whom she quickly falls in love.

Cruz will compete for the best actress accolade with Charlotte Gainsbourg for her role in Antichrist and Kate Winslet for The Reader.

Other candidates for best film are: Fish Tank, from British writer and director Andrea Arnold; Let the Right One In, a Swedish romantic horror film directed by Tomas Alfredson; The Reader, directed by Stephen Daldry; and Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on December 12 in Bochum, Germany.

The Italian film Gomorra swept the board at last year's awards.

REUTERS