The Dominican Republic announced today that Bantú Mama by Iván Herrera will be the Caribbean country’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards. The contemporary story about the proverbial encounter between Africa and the Caribbean had its world premiere at the 2021 edition of SXSW, becoming the first Dominican film to be selected for the Texas film festival.
Starring Clarisse Albrecht, the film follows a French woman of Cameroonian descent who manages to escape after being arrested in the Dominican Republic. She finds shelter in the most dangerous district of Santo Domingo, where she is taken in by a group of children. By becoming their protégée and maternal figure, she will see her destiny change inexorably.
Bantú Mama becomes the 15th Dominican submission to the Oscars since the country started submitting candidates in 1983.
