Washington D.C, [USA]: Belarus after 22 years announced the submission a film ‘Crystal Swan’ for the Foreign film category of the Academy Awards.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Belarus became the first European country to announce its 2019 Oscars submission.
Interestingly, this is Belarusian director Darya Zhuk’s debut in the Oscars.
The announcement was made in Czech Republic’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
The last time this east European country sent a film was back in 1996. Belarusian director Dmitri Astrakhan’s sent his holocaust drama film ‘From Hell to Hell’.
‘Crystal Swan’ revolves around the life of a young female Belarusian hip-hop DJ aspirant in the mid-1990s who dreams of emigrating and finding fame in America’s music scene.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film is a gritty and realistic portrayal of life in Minsk and a town whose sole economy runs on the production of crystal glassware.
‘Crystal Swan’ which is due to premiere in Belarus on August 30, is a multi-nation production venture between Belarus, USA, Germany, and Russia and directed by Harvard economics graduate, New York-based Zhuk.
The film stars newcomer, Alina Nasibullina, who last played a role in a Russian film.
The film also received funds from the prestigious New York Council for the Arts, the Hessen Film Fund (Germany) and the Tribeca Film Institute. (ANI)