The Danish Oscar committee has selected Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee, an animated documentary, to represent the country as its contender for the 2022 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
Flee beat out the other two Danish films on the committee’s shortlist: Charlotte Sieling’s Margrete – Queen of the North and The Shadow in My Eye by director Ole Bornedal.
The documentary is an intimate account of the life of Amin, a close friend of Rasmussen, who arrived in Denmark as a young refugee from Afghanistan 25 years ago. His story is told via animation, with sections of real-life footage woven into the narrative.
Flee premiered in Sundance earlier this year, where it won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize and was snatched up for U.S. release by Neon. At the Annecy animated film festival, Flee took home three trophies, including the top prize for best feature. The film, which hit Danish theaters June 17, is set for a U.S. theatrical release on Dec. 3.
Denmark’s entry, the dramedy Another Round from director Thomas Vinterberg, won the best international feature Oscar this year. The Nordic nation regularly punches above its weight at the Academy Awards. To date, 11 Danish films have been nominated for the Academy Award for best international feature, and four of them have won.
The submission deadline for international features for the 2022 Oscars is Nov. 1. The Oscar shortlists will be announced on Dec. 21. All Oscar nominations will be unveiled on Feb. 8. The 94th Academy Awards will be held on March 27.
Source: HollyWood
