Armenia has selected the film ‘Yeva,’ written and directed by Iranian-Armenian filmmaker Anahid Abad for the best foreign-language film category at the Oscars. The film invites audience to imagine a world without war.
The film tells the story of a young woman who escapes her influential in-laws with her daughter, Nareh, after her husband’s tragic death. She takes refuge in an Armenian village where she is a complete stranger and is obliged to live her daily life in disguise.
Born to an Armenian family in 1969 in Tehran, director Anahid Abad holds a BA in film directing. During her career she has served as first assistant director and planner in many film projects in professional Iranian cinema.
A 94-minute drama, ‘Yeva’ is set in Armenia with an Armenian cast, namely Narina Grigorian, Shant Hovhanisian, Sergay Tovmasian, Vrejh Kasoni, Marjan Avadisyan, Roz Avadisova, Digran Davtian, Nanor Patrosian, Avalian Adamian and Marat Davtian.
The film is a joint production between the National Cinema Center of Armenia and the Iranian Farabi Cinema Foundation in Tehran.
Yeva was released in Armenia on Sept. 23. It is Armenia’s sixth foreign-language Oscar submission since the country became independent in 1991. None of the previous submissions has been nominated.
This year record number of 92 films have been submitted for consideration in this year’s foreign-language Oscar race.
Among the first-time entrants are Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal, and Syria.
Final final five nominations in the category Best Foreign Film are:
Chile, A Fantastic Woman
Germany, In the Fade
Hungary, On Body and Soul
Israel, Foxtrot
Lebanon, The Insult
Russia, Loveless
Senegal, Félicité
South Africa, The Wound
Sweden, The Square
The Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 4 2018 and will be broadcast live to more than 225 countries.
See trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t8rxzDQ5o0
Source: Armenpress.am, Hollywood reporter, Washington Post,
Photos: screen photos from the official trailer on youtube
