Basque-language film will represent Spain in race to the 2016 Oscars

For the very first time, a Basque-language movie will represent Spain in its bid to win an Academy Award.

The Spanish Film Academy selected Loreak, a drama by Jon Garaño and Jose Maria Goenaga, among a list of three pre-candidates that were announced in early September.

Loreak follows three women whose lives are changed by bouquets that keep arriving mysteriously at the door

The film will now undergo further screening by the Hollywood Academy, which will determine whether it becomes one of five nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th edition of the Oscars on February 28.

Loreak, which means “flowers” in the Basque language, follows three women whose lives are changed by flower bouquets that keep arriving mysteriously at the door.

The feature-length film beat out Magical girl by Carlos Vermut and Felices 140, by Gracia Querejeta, to become the Spanish candidate to an Oscar.

Hollywood will announce the names of the five nominees to Best Foreign Language Film on January 14.

Competition for Loreak includes Belgium’s The Brand New Testament by Jaco Van Dormael, Argentina’s The Clan by Pablo Trapero, Chile’s The Club by Pablo Larraín, China’s Wolf Totem by Jean-Jacques Annaud and Colombia’s Embrace of the Serpent by Ciro Guerra.

English version by Susana Urra.