Belgian-Guatemalan director Cesar Diaz’s feature debut, “Our Mothers,” will represent Belgium in the International Feature Film category at the Oscars.
Represented in international markets by Pyramide, “Our Mothers” world premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week and won the Golden Camera for best first film.
“Our Mothers” is set in today’s Guatemala, a country riveted by the trial of the military officers who started the civil war. The film follows Ernesto, a young anthropologist at the Forensic Foundation who identifies people who have gone missing. One day, through an old lady’s story, Ernesto thinks he has found a lead that will allow him to find his father, a guerrilla fighter who disappeared during the war. Against his mother’s wishes, he pursues the case.
“Our Mothers” received development and production funds from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s film and audiovisual center, with support from Proximus, Eurimages, Inver Tax Shelter and SACEM. The film will be released in Belgium by Cinemien and in France by Pyramide.
The movie was selected for Oscar contention by a committee including the critic Jan Temmerman, producer Hilde de Laere, screenwriter Malin-Sarah Gozin, Univerciné president Dan Cukier, producer Christelle Mahy and exhibition programmer Nicolas Gilson. The committee praised the film for its cinematic qualities and universality of its themes.
The 92nd ceremony of the Academy Awards will take place Feb. 9, 2020.