“Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains” is representing Kyrgyzstan in Oscar’s foreign-language race, with the full list of submissions expected to be unveiled within a week.
“Datka,” written and directed by Sadyk Sher-Niyaz, is said to be the most expensive film made in Kyrgyzstan, at $1.5 million. It stars Elina Abai Kyzy in the title role, a queen who saved her country from the Russians in the 1870s with her diplomacy. The film got a positive response when it premiered at Montreal World Film Festival.
The film is also an entry in the Golden Globes foreign-language race.
Meanwhile China has submitted “The Nightingale,” a co-prod with France, for the Oscar race. It stars Li Baotian, Yang Xinyi, Li Xiaoran and Qin Hao; writer-director Philippe Muyl adapted it from his French film “The Butterfly.”
The deadline for submitting foreign-language films for Oscar race was Oct. 1. After vetting all the submissions to make sure they qualify in terms of local contribution and opening dates, the Academy will release its list. A short list of nine semi-finalists will be unveiled before the five nominees are announced Jan. 15.
The Oscars will be given out Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
