It was voted on by the Slovak film and television academy SFTA (www.sfta.sk), with 40% of all the SFTA members taking part. "That was the highest number in its history," SFTA vice-president Zuzana Mistrikova told FNE.

The selection has aroused controversy in Slovakia, where Jurah Jakubisko's Bathory has drawn record-breaking attendance numbers. Bathory supporters had claimed that the film was Slovakia's best chance at an Oscar, but SFTA's official stance was that the film, which has an international cast and was filmed in four languages, did not meet Oscar requirements.

Blind Loves is a 77 minute long documentary film that was selected for Cannes 2008 - Quinzaine des Realisateurs (Director´s Fortnight). It won the CICAE prize, the award presented by the International Confederation of Art Cinemas, an international jury composed of independent movie theater operators.

"Blind Loves has been seen by 9,000 viewers in Slovakia," said producer Marko Skop from the production company Artileria (www.artileria.sk). "The distribution has already started in Czech Republic, where it has 2,000 viewers so far," so Skop.

"The Palm Springs festival wants to screen Blind Loves in the Oscar buzz section. The rest is up to our local distributor; our sales agent is consulting on this topic."

Blind Loves has also signed distribution contracts in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Poland.