Saudi film 'A Matter of Life or Death' selected for 99th Academy Awards

The Saudi Film Commission has announced the selection of the feature film 'A Matter of Life or Death' as the Kingdom's official submission for the Best International Feature category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The decision followed a thorough review of several Saudi films, overseen by the Saudi Oscar Selection Committee.

The committee, composed of leading Saudi filmmakers and cinema experts, is responsible for reviewing and selecting films according to the standards set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This year saw a strong field of Saudi entries, prompting the committee to conduct an in-depth evaluation before unanimously selecting 'A Matter of Life or Death' to represent Saudi Arabia in this category.

'A Matter of Life or Death' is a Saudi production that blends romance with dark comedy. Set in Jeddah, the film follows the story of Hayat, who believes in a family superstition predicting her death at age thirty, and Youssef, a heart surgeon with a slow heartbeat. Unexpected circumstances bring them together, forcing them to confront questions of life, death, love, and fate.

The film is directed by Anas Bathahef, written by Sarah Taybah, and stars Yaqoub Al-Farhan and Sarah Taybah, alongside a number of emerging Saudi talents and prominent figures in the local film industry.

According to the Academy's eligibility criteria for Best International Feature, submissions from around the world undergo several stages of evaluation and selection, leading to the announcement of a shortlist and then the final nominees, as determined by the Academy. The winner will be revealed at the Oscars ceremony in March 2027.