Oliver Laxe's 'Sirât' Selected as Spain's Official Submission for the Oscars

Oliver Laxe's acclaimed film 'Sirât' has been chosen as Spain's official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. The Spanish Film Academy announced this selection on September 17, 2025. 'Sirât' previously won the Jury Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

The film follows a father and son on a journey across the Moroccan desert in search of a missing daughter and sister, delving into the world of Morocco's underground rave culture. This marks Laxe's fourth feature film. Neon, known for distributing Oscar-winning films like 'Parasite' and 'Anora', has acquired the U.S. distribution rights for 'Sirât', indicating strong potential for its international reach. The film premiered in Spain on June 6, 2025, and has garnered significant critical and commercial success.

'Sirât' is backed by Movistar Plus+, Filmes da Ermida, El Deseo (Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar's production company), Uri Films, and 4a4 Productions. International sales are managed by The Match Factory. Spain has a history of Oscar success in this category, with four previous wins.

The Academy will announce the first shortlist of 15 films on December 16, 2025, with the final nominations revealed on January 22, 2026. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026.