American film critics have make their pick for best film of the year.

And they’ve selected a foreign entry.

Austrian Michael Haneke’s heartbreaking film Amour was chosen as the best film of 2012 by the US National Society of Film Critics.

Haneke was also chosen best director, and star Emmanuelle Riva won best actress.

Amour tells the story of an elderly couple dealing with the aftermath of a devastating stroke. It won the Cannes Film Festival’s Palm D’Or last year.

The panel of 60 critics named Daniel Day-Lewis best actor for his work in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln.

Critics awards are considered an indication of how the Academy of Arts and Sciences might be leaning. The Oscar nominations come out Thursday.