Jordan has chosen My sweet landa documentary by director Sareen Hairabedian, which will represent the country at the 97th Academy Awards next year in the Best International Feature Film category.
The film follows Vrej, an 11-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a dentist. But Vrejj lives in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the area at the center of a decades-long ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. When violence erupts again, Vrej and his family are forced to flee. When they return, they find their home and Vrej's dreams of a normal life in ruins.
My sweet land premiered at this year's Sheffield Documentary Film Festival. It is Hairabedian's debut feature, following his documentary short We're not done yetmade for HBO.
Jordanian director Azza Hourani produced My sweet landwhich was created as a co-production between Ireland, France, Jordan and the United States.
To date, Jordan has only one Oscar nomination, for Naji Abu Nowar's film The guy in 2015.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will announce its shortlist for best international feature film on December 17. The Oscar nominations will be revealed on January 17, 2025. The 2025 Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2.