Immaculat, directed by Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark, is Romania’s entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film – Oscar 2023.

The annual selection committee of films that will represent Romania in the competition for the nomination of the Academy Award – Oscar, in the category “International Film 2023”, which consists of five film critics – Dana Duma, Ionuc Maresh, Iryna Trocan, Catalin Olaru and Cristina Corciovescu – appointed the production of “Imaculat”, reports News.ro.

Six Romanian films took part in the competition at the National Center of Cinematography: “The Immaculate”, directed by Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark, “Metronom” by director Alexandru Belk, “The Tree of Desire. Childhood Memories”, directed by Andrii Hutsuliak, “Miracle”, directed by Bohdan George Apetri, “Crai Nou”, directed by Alina Grigore and “RMN”, directed by Christian Mungiu.

The film was honored in 2021 at the Venice International Film Festival with three main awards: the award for debutant directors – “Luigi de Laurentiis Award Lion of the Future”, the main award of the section – “Giornate degli Autori Director’s Award” as well. and the “Autrici under 40” award from “Venezia a Napoli. Il cinema esteso” was awarded to the writer Monika Sten for the best screenplay.

In 2022, The Immaculate completes the awards list by winning the Golden Lynx trophy at the FEST New Directors Festival – Portugal in the feature film category, as well as the International Federation of Film Critics Award – FIPRESCI Award at the Transylvania International Film Festival – TIFF Cluj-Napoca.

The film stars Ana Dumitrascu, Vasile Pavel and Cesar Grumezescu, as well as Rares Andrici, Ilona Brezoianu, Bohdan Farkas, Ionuc Nikulae, Florin Gritsou, Tiberiu Dobricha, Ninel Petrache, Dan Ursu, Ozana Oancea, Diana Dumbrava and Christina Buburuz.

Immaculate tells a story in which the inner springs of the characters build a world so authentic that it almost causes a riot.

Daria (Ana Dumitrashku), a young woman addicted to heroin, ends up in a rehabilitation clinic. In another world. A world contrary to everything that had represented her environment until that time. At 18, she seems naïve and innocent, but still retains the traits of a good family woman, principled, educated, and eager to get her bachelor’s degree and go to college. But the choice of the world he enters causes effects in him that transform him.

“Imaculat” is produced by Axel Film, distributed in Romania by Follow Art Distribution, distributed in the United States by Syndicado Inc. and sold internationally by Syndicado Film Sales.

The short list of nominees for the 2023 Academy Awards will be announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on December 21, 2022.

The 95th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 12, 2023 in Los Angeles.

Read also: The screenwriter and co-director of the film “The Immaculate”, awarded in Venice, told how he was inspired by a personal experience to write a story about a teenage girl who ends up in a rehabilitation clinic – INTERVIEW