Irish film VIVA has advanced to the final 9 in the Foreign Language Oscar race.
The film tells the story of young man trying to find his voice in the colourful world of drag performers in Havana. His uncertain start is devastated by the reappearance in his life of his domineering father.
The film has made the shortlist of 9 which has been whittled down from an initial 80 entries.
Written by Mark O'Halloran, directed by Paddy Breathnach and produced by Rob Walpole and Rebecca O'Flanagan, the film was shot in Cuba in Spanish.
"This project was a real labour of love", says Walpole, "It seemed like a crazy proposition: a crew of Irish people going to Cuba to tell this story.”
O’Flanagan concurs "we had full confidence in Viva from the beginning and it is so thrilling to have that belief acknowledged"
The five nominated films for the Foreign Language category will be announced in January.
