Switzerland has picked Klaudia Reynicke’s family drama Reinas as its submission to the Best International Feature Film category of the 97th Academy Awards.
The Swiss-Spanish-Peruvian coproduction is set in Peru in 1992 as the country undergoes social and political upheaval.
Against this backdrop Lucía and Aurora’s single mother Elena is drawing up plans to leave the country with her daughters. The decision sees the girls grow closer to their previously absent father, as the impending farewell from home and family draws ever nearer.
The Oscar campaign in North America will be launched with a screening at the Mill Valley Festival in California in October, with director Reynicke and producer Britta Rindelaub in attendance.
Outsider Pictures Distribution will release the film in the U.S. and Puerto Rico on November 29, at the same time as a release in Canada by Films We Like.
Reinas originally world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and then made its European premiere at the Berlinale, where it won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury.
The picture went on to receive a warm welcome from Swiss audiences over the summer, when it made its local premiere at the Locarno Film Festival, winning the Piazza Grande Audience Award.
The film is produced by Rindelaub and Thomas Reichlin’s Geneva-based company Alva Film, in co-production with Maretazo Cine in Peru, Inicia Films in Spain and RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. The Yellow Affair handles international sales.