«Sirat», a road movie filmed in Morocco and directed by Óliver Laxe, was selected on Wednesday to represent Spain in the Best International Film category at the upcoming Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced. The film was chosen over two other finalists: «Romería» by Carla Simón and «Sorda» by Eva Libertad. Acclaimed by critics at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the feature follows a character's journey of self-discovery between Spain and Morocco, exploring universal themes of identity and cultural connection. It remains to be seen whether «Sirat» will make the shortlist of 15 films to be announced by the Academy in December. The five final nominees will be revealed in January, ahead of the awards ceremony set for March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. Spain has won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film four times, most recently in 2004 with Alejandro Amenábar's «Mar adentro» (The Sea Inside).
