Sweden Sends And Then We Danced To Oscars
The Swedish Oscar Committee has announced that And Then We Danced, a story of forbidden love in the Georgian ballet written and directed by Levan Akin, will be its submission for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.
The film follows Merab (Levan Gelbakhiani) who has been training from a young age at the National Georgian Ensemble with his dance partner Mary. However, his world is turned upside down when carefree Irakli (Bachi Valishvili) arrives and becomes both his strongest rival and desire. In this conservative world, Merab finds himself having risk it all to break free.
And Then We Danced received its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where it was also selected for Director’s Fortnight and nominated for the Queer Palm. Since then it has been sold to more than 30 countries, has been shortlisted for nomination at the European Film Awards, and has earned Best Actor accolades for Levan Gelbakhiani at both the Odessa and Sarajevo film festivals.
Levan Akin said: “And Then We Danced was made on a small budget and with a lot of love, courage and commitment. We are tremendously delighted to be representing Sweden in the Oscars.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the final five nominations for Best International Feature Film on 13th January, with the Oscar to be presented during a gala ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 9th February 2020.
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