The Cinema and Theater Department of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture announced the nomination of the film (Hanging Gardens), directed by Ahmed Yassin, to compete for the Oscar for Best International Film in the ninety-sixth session of the most famous cinematic award.
The department said in a statement on Sunday that the nomination came “to activate cinemas and the cinematic artistic movement to bring it to the ranks of advanced countries, artistically and cinematically.”
She pointed out that the film received a production grant from the Ministry of Culture and achieved success in Arab and international festivals and won many awards.
The film, starring Jawad Al-Shukarji and Wissam Diaa, was first shown at the Venice Film Festival in 2022, after which it toured prestigious festivals in Sweden, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, and was recently shown in cinemas in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
The film’s director, Ahmed Yassin, wrote on his Facebook page, “I am extremely honored and proud after the official announcement by the Department of Cinema and Theater that our film ‘Hanging Gardens’ was chosen to represent Iraq at the Oscars.”
He added, “This journey was a struggle full of love, a collaboration between exceptional talents, and a testimony to the power of the art of narrative. Our film will represent the richness of Iraqi cinema, and hopefully it will resonate with the global audience.”
The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences receives one nomination from each country to compete for the Best International Film Award, which is designated for non-English-speaking films.
The Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 10, 2024.
