The nominees for the 87th Academy Awards were announced in Los Angeles on 15
January, revealing the final contenders in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
The nominees include Ida directed by Pawel Pawlikowski (Poland);
Leviathan directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev (Russia);
Tangerines directed by Zaza Urushadze (Estonia); Wild
Tales directed by Damian Szifron (Argentina); and Timbuktu
directed by Abderrahmane Sissako (Mauritania). Timbuktu is the first
Mauritanian film to be nominated in this category.
In 2014 the film won a number of awards including Best Feature Film at the Durban
International Film Festival, Best Director at the Chicago International Film Festival
and the François Chalais Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film tells the story of Kidane and his family, who live close to Timbuktu, a town
in Mali now ruled by religious fundamentalists. In town, the people suffer,
powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists. Music, laughter,
cigarettes, even soccer have been banned. The women have become shadows but
resist with dignity. Every day, the new improvised courts issue tragic and absurd
sentences. Kidane and his family had been spared the chaos that prevails in
Timbuktu, but when their destiny changes abruptly, Kidane must face the new laws
of the foreign occupants.
Said director Abderrahmane Sissako, “When an African film, with such an intention,
is in competition at a major festival, travels and connects with audiences the world
over as is now happening with
I have received and continue to receive this support everywhere. It is, of course, an
enormous responsibility and above all an honour to carry the hope not only of one
country but of an entire continent.’
