Argentina has selected The Distinguished Citizen / El ciudadano ilustre to represent the country for this year’s Academy Awards Foreign Language category. The Argentine-Spanish production by Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival earlier this year winning lead actor Oscar Martinez a Volpi Cup Best Actor Award and was also well received by audiences.
After refusing big and prestigious awards around the world, Mr. Mantovani, Literature Nobel Prize winner, accepts an invitation to visit his hometown in Argentina, which has been the inspiration for all of his books. However, things take an odd turn as Mr. Mantovani confronts the real people who inspired all the characters in his novels.
Argentina has submitted to the Academy Awards consistently over the years. Last year the country submitted Pablo Trapero’s The Clan / El clan and previously Damián Szifrón’s Wild Tales / Relatos salvajes which went on to be nominated. Argentina has taken home the golden statue twice, in 2009 for Juan José Campanella’s The Secret in Their Eyes / El secreto de sus ojos and in 1985 for Luis Puenzo’s The Official Story / La historia oficial.
