Statement by producers Rozita Hendijanian and Mani Tilgner from Run Way Pictures on the nomination:
We are very honored that THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG has been nominated for an Oscar®. We are happy that this great and brave film by Mohammad Rasoulof and the efforts of the whole team, who were willing to take every kind of risk, are now also recognized by the Academy. Furthermore, we would also like to thank the members of the Academy and everyone else who has supported us along the way.
Back in December, THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG was shortlisted from 85 films from various countries around the world approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Due to the wildfires in Los Angeles, the original date for the announcement of the nominations was postponed from January 17 to January 23.
The German entry has now cleared the final hurdle. Together with the films I'M STILL HERE (Brazil), THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE (Denmark), EMILIA PÉREZ (France) und FLOW (Latvia), THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG will compete for the Oscar® in the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards® in Los Angeles on March 2.
In August 2024, a nine-member independent jury selected THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG produced by Run Way Pictures as the German entry for the Oscars® from 13 films submitted.
The entries from Germany – the social drama THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE by İlker Çatak and the war drama ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Edward Berger - had already made it to the final five nominees in the previous two years. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT ended up not only winning the Oscar® in the Best International Feature Film category, but also picked up another three statuettes (Best Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Production Design).
“For the third time in a row, the German entry has been nominated in the Best International Film category. This is really good news and a special tribute to German film. Numerous good films from all over the world are submitted in this category. The fact that the German entry has once again made it to the final five nominees shows the great interest at international level. THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG is a psychogram of Iran's theocracy built on violence and paranoia. Mohammad Rasoulof subtly speaks about the rifts within a family that are representative of the rifts within Iranian society. The film is an outstanding work by one of the great directors of world cinema who has found refuge in Germany. Congratulations to the whole team of THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG!”, says Simone Baumann, Managing Director of German Films.
The last 25 years have seen German films picking up a total of eleven Oscar® nominations in this category: THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE by İlker Çatak, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Edward Berger (2023), NEVER LOOK AWAY by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (2018), TONI ERDMANN by Maren Ade (2016), THE WHITE RIBBON by Michael Haneke (2009), THE BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX by Oliver Hirschbiegel (2008), THE LIVES OF OTHERS by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (2006), SOPHIE SCHOLL - THE FINAL DAYS by Marc Rothemund (2005), DOWNFALL by Oliver Hirschbiegel (2004) and Caroline Link with her two films NOWHERE IN AFRICA (2002) and BEYOND SILENCE (1997).
The coveted Oscar® statuette went to Germany on three occasions during this period: to ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Edward Berger in 2023, to THE LIVES OF OTHERS by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck in 2006 and to NOWHERE IN AFRICA by Caroline Link in 2002.
About the film:
Iman (Misagh Zareh) has just been promoted as an examining magistrate at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran when a huge protest movement sweeps the country following the death of a young woman. Although the demonstrations increase and the state cracks down with ever tougher measures, Iman decides to side with the regime, upsetting the balance of his family. While the devout father struggles with the psychological strain of his new job, his daughters Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki) are shocked and electrified by the events. His wife Najmeh (Soheila Golestani), on the other hand, is desperately trying to keep everyone together. Then Iman realises that his service weapon has disappeared and he suspects his family ...
The film had its world premiere in competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival where it received, among others, the Competition's Special Jury Prize, the FIPRESCI Prize, the European Art House Cinemas Award (AFCAE), the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Prix François Chalais for Best Film. The film was subsequently screened at other film festivals such as Locarno, Telluride, Toronto, San Sebastian as well as important autumn festivals in the USA.
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG also won, amongst others, the following prizes: Audience Award for Best International Feature - Sydney Film Festival (Australia), Audience Award For Best European Film - San Sebastian Film Festival (Spain), Silver Hugo for Best Screenplay - Chicago International Film Fest (USA) as well as the Arab Critics‘ Award for European Films.
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG was produced by Run Way Pictures (Hamburg) in co-production with Parallel45, ARTE France Cinéma and with the participation of ARTE France and in cooperation with Films Boutique. The film was supported by L' aide aux cinémas du monde, Centre National du Cinéma et de L' image Animée, Institut Français and MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein.
The German distributor Alamode will release the film in German cinemas on December 26, 2024. Films Boutique is handling international sales. In North America, NEON is responsible for the film’s distribution in North America and releases the film nationwide in US cinemas on November 27, 2024.
Mohammad Rasoulof is a director, screenwriter and producer who was born in Iran and has lived in Germany for many years. In 2011, he received the award for Best Director in Cannes for his film GOODBYE (BÉ OMID É DIDAR), and won the Golden Bear in Berlin in 2020 for THERE IS NO EVIL.
There were also some pleasing nominations for German films and German filmmakers in other Oscar® categories:
The drama SEPTEMBER 5 by Tim Fehlbaum received a nomination in the Writing (Original Screenplay) category for the authors Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum and co-writer Alex David. The drama about an American TV team reporting on the hostage-taking at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich is an all-German production by BerghausWöbke Filmproduktion in co-production with Constantin Film and Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion.
After winning the Oscar® for Music (Original Score) for ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT in 2023, German composer Volker Bertelmann received another nomination this year for CONCLAVE (by German director Edward Berger) for Music (Original Score). German Lisy Christl also received a nomination for Costume Design for CONCLAVE. The designer has also already won an Academy Award® for ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. CONCLAVE was nominated a total of eight times.
German VFX expert Gerd Nefzer received a nomination in the Visual Effects category for the science fiction epic DUNE: PART TWO.
German Films is delighted to hear the news about the nominations and congratulates all those involved. This is a special appreciation for the entire German film industry. We keep our fingers crossed for all of the German participants and their contributions on March 2nd!
The Oscar® awards ceremony will be held at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood on 2 March, 2025.
Further information about the 97th Oscars® and the regulations can be found here.