Ukraine will represent the film La Palisade among the contenders for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
It was selected by the Ukrainian Oscar Committee at a meeting on September 9.
The film La Palisiade, directed by Philip Sotnychenko, shows 1996 and how Ukraine prepares to sign a document to abolish the death penalty. Oleksandr, a forensic psychiatrist, and his friend, investigator Ilhar, are investigating the murder of their police colleague. The three men were connected by their work, longtime friendship, and feelings for the same woman. Now, she is the widow of the deceased.
Director Philip Sotnychenko and producer Valeria Sochyvets told Suspilne Kultura that the film took five years to produce because new storylines emerged, materials were found that became references for the film, and the aesthetics of the image changed.
The film’s world premiere took place on January 29, 2023, at the 52nd Rotterdam International Film Festival, and the Ukrainian premiere was on October 12, 2023, at the Kyiv Critics’ Week. It will be in theaters from January 11, 2024.
