Argentina has announced that "Wakolda" will be its official selection for the Academy Awards.
The film, directed by Lucia Puenzo, tells the true story of an Argentine family who lived with Josef Mengele, a Nazi, without knowing his true identity. While Mengele lives at the house, one of the family members falls in love with him.
The movie first opened at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard sidebar before going to San Sebastian where it recently picked up U.S. distribution from Samuel Goldwyn films. The movie has already sold to 30-plus territories.
"Wakolda's" choice becomes the second year in a row that a production from Historias Cinematograficas, the Puenzos' family firm, takes Argentina's Academy Award submission after Benjamin Avila's "Clandestine Childhood" was selected in 2012.
Argentina has been nominated for six Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The nation received its first nomination in 1974 for "La Tregua," and in 1984 received its second for "Camila." In 1985, Argentina won its first Oscar for "La Historia Official." In 1998, the country returned to garner its fourth nomination for "Tango, no me dejes nunca" and in 2001 with "El hijo de la Novia."
The country received its second win in 2009 when "The Secret in Their Eyes" upset favorite "The White Ribbon." Since its win, the country has not received a single nomination.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will reveal its final five nominees on Jan. 16. The ceremony will take place on March 2, 2014.
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