International Oscar Race: Nepal Selects ‘Shambhala’

Nepal has selected “Shambhala” as its Oscar entry in the international feature film category.

Directed by Min Bahadur Bham, “Shambhala” – a mystic, sacred realm in Tibetan Buddhism, also an area of significance in Hinduism, which means a place of peace – begins in a Himalayan polyandrous village in Nepal, where pregnant Pema faces scrutiny as her first husband Tashi vanishes on a trade trip to Lhasa. Accompanied by her de facto husband, the monk Karma, she embarks on a journey to find him, evolving her quest into self-discovery and liberation.

The film debuted at the Berlinale and has since played at Sydney, Karlovy Vary and Locarno. It is a Shooney Films (Nepal) production in co-production with CDP (France), Ape&Bjørn (Norway), Aaru Production (Hong Kong), ZK Films (Turkey), Yi Tiao Long Hu Bao (Taiwan) Bangdel and Shakya Production (U.S.).

Bham’s 2012 short “Bhansulli” debuted at Venice. His debut feature “Kalo Pothi” (aka “The Black Hen,” 2015) won the Fedeora best film award at Venice Critics’ Week and became Nepal’s official Oscar entry. The film, produced by Bham, reunites him with his “Kalo Pothi” producer Catherine Dussart, who serves as co-producer alongside Verona Meier, Shuk Fong Chong, Zeynep Koray, Justine O. Bibhakar and Sunder Shakya, with Debaki Rai, Liao Ching-Sung, Roger Huang, Ruben Thorkildsen, Can Aygor and Salina Shakya as executive producers and Rajesh Prasad Khatri, Jeremy Chua and Lee Chi Lin as associate producers.

Kenya: ‘Nawi’

Kenya has selected “Nawi,” which explores the issue of child marriage in rural Africa, as its Oscar entry in the international feature film category.

The film centers on Nawi, whose aspirations of attending high school are shattered when she learns that her father Eree plans to marry her off to a stranger. Despite her family’s need for the bride-price – livestock – Nawi refuses to accept her fate. Her ally in this struggle is her brother, Joel.

The film is directed by Toby Schmutzler, Kevin Schmutzler, Vallentine Chelluget and Apuu Mourine. It is written by Milcah Cherotich. It is produced by Lydia Wrensch, Caroline Heim and Brizan Were. Executive producers are Ludwig Bayern, Steven Haft, Katja Eichinger and Matthias Rosenberger.

The production companies are FilmCrew Media, Startup Lions Assets Kenya and Baobab Pictures.

Senegal: ‘Dahomey’

“Dahomey,” Mati Diop’s immersive documentary that won the Berlinale’s prestigious Golden Bear, has been selected as Senegal’s entry to the 2025 Oscars international feature race.

According to its official synopsis, “Dahomey” explores “real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the film charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives, Diop questions how these artifacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence.”

After holding its North American premiere at TIFF, “Dahomey” will screen at Camden International Film Festival and New York Film Festival before debuting in U.S. theaters on Oct. 18.

“Dahomey” is written and directed by Diop with cinematography by Josephine Drouin Viallard and editing by Gabriel Gonzalez. Diop, Eve Robin and Judith Lou Lévy produce alongside executive producers Christiane Chabi Kao and Cotonou. Les Films du Losange is handling international sales.

Georgia: ‘The Antique’

Georgia has selected “The Antique,” a drama about the 2006 expulsion of thousands of Georgian nationals from Russia, as its contender for the Academy Awards best international feature film prize.

The film was directed by Rusudan Glurjidze and is structured as a coproduction involving Georgia’s Cinetech, the Czech Republic’s Cinetrain, Iceland’s Whitepoint Digital and Germany’s Basia Berlin Filmproduction. International sales are handled by MPM International.

The Oscar selection was made by a special committee within Georgia’s National Film Center.

The film had its world premiere at the recent Venice film festival, where its initial screenings were threatened by claims of copyright infringement by Russian and Croatian companies.

Belgium: ‘Julie Keeps Quiet’

Leonardo Van Dijl’s “Julie Keeps Quiet” has been selected as Belgium’s entry in the contest for the international feature film category of the 97th Academy Awards.

“Julie Keeps Quiet” focuses on a star player at an elite tennis academy, whose life revolves around the game she loves. When her coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended, all of the club’s players are encouraged to speak up. But Julie decides to keep quiet…

Van Dijl’s debut feature premiered in Cannes’ Critics’ Week, where it won both the Prix SACD and the Prix Fondation GAN. It made its North American premiere in Toronto’s Centrepiece section. Upcoming screenings include Busan and London film festivals.

Tennis champion Naomi Osaka is executive producing the movie through her company Hana Kuma. The cinematography is by Nicolas Karakatsanis (“Cruella,” “I, Tonya”) and the score is by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw.

The film has been sold by New Europe Film Sales to nearly 30 territories, with deals for North America and Japan expected to close soon.

The film is produced by Gilles De Schryver, Gilles Coulier, Wouter Sap, Roxanne Sarkozi for De Wereldvrede (Belgium), and co-produced by Delphine Tomson, Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne for Les Films du Fleuve (Belgium), Nima Yousefi for Hobab (Sweden) and Kristina Börjeson and Anthony Muir for Film i Väst (Sweden).

Executive producers are Federica Sainte-Rose and Florian Zeller for Blue Morning Pictures and Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid for Hana Kuma. The film was supported by The Flemish Audiovisual Fund, the Centre du Cinema et de l’audiovisuel of the French community in Belgium, the Belgian Tax Shelter, Proximus, New Dawn and Film i Väst.

Van Dijl is repped by 2AM, Ken Lambrechts, CAA and Granderson Des Rochers.

Slovenia: ‘Family Therapy’

Slovenia has selected Sonja Prosenc’s “Family Therapy” as its submission to the Oscars best international film race.

“Family Therapy” follows a seemingly perfect family whose life is thrown into disarray when a young stranger arrives, exposing their hidden fears, flaws and dreams, and unraveling the deep-seated dysfunction in their relationships. It stars Mila Bezjak, Aliocha Schneider, Marko Mandić and Katarina Stegnar.

In a statement, the country’s Oscar jury said the film “addresses the current theme of the hedonistic elite in the modern world, who live their safe and untouchable lives under a glass dome. The film skillfully intertwines the complex dynamics of relationships between the inner and outer worlds, the spiritual and the physical. Through an innovative combination of expressive means, at a high production level, and with the right balance of comedy and tragedy, the creators have succeeded in breaking through the seemingly protective glass that once shielded us from the intrusion of raw reality.”

In an interview with Variety, Prosenc said the film came to be because she was “wondering about this dissonance between our values and our actions, when we are confronted with something in real life.”

Of her main characters, she said: “I think they feel completely disconnected from the rest of society. And they want to feel disconnected. This is a very contemporary state of society in Slovenia. And, of course, worldwide.”

Hungary: ‘Semmelweis’

Lajos Koltai’s period biopic “Semmelweis,” about a Hungarian doctor best known for introducing antiseptic procedures at Vienna’s maternity clinic, has been selected as the Hungarian entry for the best international film category of the Academy Awards.

Koltai was nominated for an Oscar for the cinematography of 2001’s “Malena.”

“Semmelweis,” sold by NFI World Sales, has become the highest grossing Hungarian movie in theaters in five years, attracting more than 350,000 viewers and grossing more than $2 million since its November 2023 release.

Taking place in 19th century’s Vienna, the film tells the story of Ignac Semmelweis, a short-tempered but passionate Hungarian doctor, who delivers babies and carries out autopsies on a daily basis whilst looking for the cause of puerperal fever, the mysterious epidemic that decimates patients in the hospital.

Semmelweis’ boss prohibits him from conducting research into the subject and blocks him at every turn. He also makes a young midwife, Emma Hoffmann, spy on him. However, the relationship between Semmelweis and Emma develops into a romance. When Semmelweis discovers the cause and prevention of the maternity fever, half of his peers discredit him, yet he carries on with the fight to prove his theory at all costs.

Koltai said, “Semmelweis’ life is an example for all of us: a man who always, in all circumstances, followed his own path with a courage that defied death, which could not be diverted by hatred or violence. I wanted to show the viewers that it can be done: Perseverance, determination, dedication and passion bear fruit.”

The film’s leading role is played by young talent Miklós H. Vecsei, playing opposite Katica Nagy. “Semmelweis” was written by Balázs Maruszki. The cinematographer was András Nagy. Music was composed by Attila Pacsay. “Semmelweis” was produced by Tamás Lajos, Szupermodern Filmstúdió and Joe Vida, and was supported by Hungary’s National Film Institute.

Koltai’s film is the third about the life of the physician, after André de Toth’s 1940 biopic and Frigyes Bán’s “Semmelweis,” released in 1952.

The Oscar selection committee included Csaba Káel, government commissioner for the development of the Hungarian motion picture industry and chairman of the National Film Institute, editor Gabriella Koncz, dramaturge-director György Lukácsy, Emil Novák, cinematographer-director and chairman of the Hungarian Film Academy, Ákos Pesti, producer, Zsuzsanna Sipos, Oscar-winning set decorator (“Dune”), and Csilla Szabó, dramaturge.

Czech Republic: ‘Waves’

The Czech Republic has selected drama film “Waves” as its contender for the best international film category of the Oscars. Written and directed by Jiri Madl, the film is set during the 1968 Soviet Invasion of the country and depicts the fact-based story of a group of journalists from the international service of Czechoslovak Radio who were determined to keep independent news flowing.

The film had its premiere at the Karlovy Vary festival and picked up the audience award. It had its commercial release in Czech theaters from Aug. 15 via Bonton, and attracted over 400,000 admissions.

The selection was made by the Czech Film and Television Academy.

The film’s international sales are being handled by Urban Sales.

Cambodia: ‘Meeting With Pol Pot’

Rithy Panh’s “Meeting With Pol Pot” has been selected to represent Cambodia in the best international film section of the Oscars. While based partially on real events (and on the writings of American war journalist Elizabeth Becker), it crafts a fictitious tale of three French journalists attempting to interview Cambodian dictator Pol Pot in 1978. The film premiered in May at the Cannes film festival and had an official release in Cambodia on Aug. 9.

The selection was made by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and announced by the Department of Film and Cultural Diffusion.

Morocco: ‘Everybody Loves Touda’

Morocco has selected Nabil Ayouch’s “Everybody Loves Touda” as its candidate for the best international film Oscar.

The film tells the story of a young poet and singer steeped in an ancient Moroccan form of folk song called aita, but forced to perform trashy pop songs in bars filled with abusive men.

“Everybody Loves Touda,” launched in May out-of-competition from the Cannes Film Festival. MK2 Films is handling international sales.

Ayouch produced “The Blue Caftan,” directed by Maryam Touzani, which in 2023 became the first Moroccan film to ever make it to the Oscars shortlist.

South Korea: ‘12.12.: The Day‘

South Korea has picked “12.12.: The Day” an historical, political action drama as its national contender for the best international film Oscar. The film, dealing with a military coup in 1979, was the highest grossing film of last year at the Korean box office and the decision to select it for the Oscars was a unanimous one, the Korean Film Council (Kofic) said.

Directed by Kim Sung-su, the film was released in November last year.

Japan: ‘The Cloud’

Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s “Cloud” has been selected as Japan’s submission for the best international film in the Oscars race. The film will appear out of competition this week at the Venice film festival.

The film is a thriller centered around a young man who resells goods online and who triggers a series of online incidents. These blur the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds.

Despite having long been one of a triumvirate of top Japanese directors (along with Kore-eda Hirokazu and Kawase Naomi), Kurosawa has not previously had one of his films selected for an Oscar run.

Japan has scored strongly at the Oscars. Since the beginning of the 21st century, it has won the best foreign film Oscar twice (for “Departures” and “Drive My Car”) and had one make the shortlist (“Confessions”) and two additional nominations (“Shoplifters” and last year’s “Perfect Days.)

International sales are handled by Nikkatsu.

Kyrgyzstan: ‘Heaven Is Beneath Mother’s Feet’

“Heaven Is Beneath Mother’s Feet” (aka “Beyish Enenin Tamanynda”) will represent Kyrgyzstan in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. The Oscar selection was made by the Union of Cinematographers of Kyrgyzstan.

The film is directed by Ruslan Akun and is the story of an adult man whose mental development stopped at age 8 and who continues to live with his mother. In order to make sure that his mother can go to heaven, he takes her by foot on a journey to Mecca.

Last year the Kyrgyzstan submission was ruled to be ineligible as it had released before the qualifying period. No replacement film was offered. “Heaven is Beneath Mother’s Feet” opened in Kyrgyzstan cinemas in March 2024 and has subsequently released in Russia and Uzbekistan.

Germany: ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’

Germany has decided to submit Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” which received the special jury prize at Cannes Film Festival, for its Oscar entry. Rasoulof attended the fest while in exile in Germany from his home country of Iran, which had sentenced him to eight years in prison for the political content of his films.

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” follows a man (Misagh Zareh), who has “just been promoted to be an investigating judge at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran when a huge protest movement sweeps the country following the death of a young woman,” its synopsis reads. “Although the demonstrations increase and the state cracks down with ever tougher measures, Iman decides to side with the regime, upsetting the balance of his family.”

In a statement, Germany’s Oscar committee called the film “a psychological portrait of Iran’s theocracy which is built on violence and paranoia. Mohammad Rasoulof subtly tells of the cracks within a family that are representative of those within Iranian society itself. A masterfully directed and movingly acted film that finds scenes that stay with you. The two rebellious daughters symbolize the courageous women of Iran and their self-sacrificing struggle against the patriarchs of their families and their state. It is an outstanding work by one of the great directors of world cinema and someone who has found refuge in Germany from state despotism in Iran. We are very happy to know that Rasoulof is safe in our country. And we are delighted that he will be representing Germany at the Oscars in 2025.”

Neon is releasing “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” in the U.S.

Lithuania: ‘Drowning Dry’

Laurynas Bareiša’s “Seses” (Drowning Dry), which won best director in the international competition and best performance award for the film’s four leads at Locarno Film Festival on Saturday, has been selected by Lithuania as its Oscar entry.

In the film, Ernesta, her husband Lukas, and her son, together with her sister Juste’s family, are spending the weekend at a country house after Lukas’s victory in a mixed martial arts tournament. The families are swimming in a nearby lake, having dinner, discussing family finances. After an accident, the sisters become single mothers. The film follows the sisters’ life in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The structurally complex, narratively splintered drama marks a confident step forward for Lithuanian cinematographer turned director Bareiša, whose debut “Pilgrims” triumphed in Venice’s Horizons competition in 2021.

The producer is Klementina Remeikaitė for Afterschool Production of Lithuania and the co-producer is Matīss Kaža for Trickster Pictures of Latvia.

International sales are handled by Alpha Violet.

Uruguay: ‘Hay una puerta ahí’

Uruguay has submitted Juan Ponce de León and Facundo Ponce de León’s debut feature documentary “Hay una puerta ahí,” to the the best international feature category of the 97th Academy Awards.

“Hay una puerta ahí” documents the beginning of a friendship between two older men, with one helping the other to die. For nine months, Fernando and Enric recorded every conversation they shared about the subject, conversations had entirely through video chat during the pandemic.

With a slight “The Odd Couple” vibe, Fernando logs on to video chat from a hospital bed, often with a cigarette between his lips, while Enric sits in a well-kept home office. Fernando’s family makes sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes uplifting cameos as together, they face the end of their patriarch’s life.

The film, produced by Mueca Films in Uruguay and A Contracoriente Films in Spain, screened in San Sebastian’s Made in Spain sidebar in 2023 and in Malaga’s special selections section for documentaries.

Taiwan: ‘Old Fox’

Taiwan has selected multi-award-winning drama film “Old Fox” as its representative in the best international feature category of the 97th Academy Awards. The island’s Ministry of Culture says that it selected “Old Fox” from 14 candidate films.

Directed by Hsiao Ya-chuan, the film tells the morally-conflicted tale of an 11-year-old boy from a modest background. He is torn between the hardscrabble and penny-pinching life of his single-parent father and the allure of a neighborhood landlord, who offers riches and lessons in streetwise pragmatism.

The central performances of child star Bai Run-jin (who previously appeared in “Dear Tennant”) and writer-actor Akio Chen elevate the triangular relationship into a prize-winning effort. The picture had its premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival before becoming the numerical winner at Taiwan’s prestigious Golden Horse Film Awards the following month. While it missed out on the best film prize, “Old Fox” collected four prizes including best director and best supporting actor for Chen.

Latvia: ‘Flow’

Latvia has selected Gints Zilbalodis’ “Flow” as its entry in the best international feature category of the 97th Academy Awards. The animated feature had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival and won four prizes at Annecy.

Sideshow and Janus Films acquired North American rights to the film out of Cannes and are planning a theatrical release this year.

At Annecy, “Flow” won the Audience Award, the Jury Award, the special prize for original music and the Gan Foundation Award for Distribution. It will also screen at the Toronto Film Festival next month.

“Flow” follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet.

The film was co-written by Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaza, with a score by Zilbalodis and Rihards Zalupe. It was produced by Zilbalodis and Kaza, alongside Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman. The international sales agent is Charades.

Zilbalodis’ “Away” won the Contrechamp Award for Best Film at Annecy in 2019.

Latvia’s selection was made by the Latvian Selection Committee, a commission of film industry experts established by the National Film Center.

Austria: ‘The Devil’s Bath’

“The Devil’s Bath,” a period psychological thriller which competed at the Berlin Film Festival, has been submitted by Austria as its official Oscar entry for the international feature film race. The film picked up the Silver Bear for best cinematography (for Martin Gschlacht) at the Berlinale.

The film is directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, the Austrian filmmaking duo behind “Goodnight Mommy,” which bowed at Venice and also represented Austria in the Oscar race.

Set in rural Austria in 1750, the film centres on Agnes, a young married woman who feels oppressed in her husband’s world, which is devoid of emotion and limited to chores and expectations. A pious and highly sensitive woman, Agnes falls into a deep depression, before committing a shocking act of violence that she sees as the only way out of her inner prison.

The movie is being handled by Shudder in North America. The streamer also picked it up for the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It’s been sold around the world by Playtime.

“The Devil’s Bath” was produced by Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion, in co-production with Heimatfilm and Coop99 Filmproduktion.

“The Devil’s Bath”

Ireland: ‘Kneecap’

Ireland has submitted “Kneecap” to represent the country in the Oscars international feature film category.

The film became a sensation in Sundance, where it was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, and has been amassing plaudits at festivals around the world over the last few months.

From writer-director Rich Peppiatt, “Kneecap” is a raucous semi-autobiographical comedy about the wildly outspoken and hard-partying Northern Irish hip-hop trio of the same name.

“Kneecap” was produced by Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling for Fine Point Films and Mother Tongues Films, with Patrick O’Neill at Wildcard acting as co-producer.