Andrei Konchalovsky’s film Paradise has been selected as Russia’s entry for Best Foreign Film at the 89th Academy Awards. The Russian Oscar Committee, chaired by actor and director Vladimir Menshov, made the decision on Sept. 19, the Committee’s TASS correspondent reported.
“Well, colleagues, thank you, it has somehow all passed me by – well, alright, I had better agree with you,” said Konchalovsky, expressing his gratitude to the Committee for their decision.
Paradise weaves together the fate of three people during World War II: Russian émigré Olga, an aristocrat and member of the Resistance; Jules, a French policeman and Nazi collaborator; and Helmut, a high-ranking officer in the S.S. Actress Yulia Vysotskaya, Konchalovsky’s wife, stars as Olga, alongside Viktor Sukhorukhov, Philippe Duquesne, Christian Clauss, and Peter Kurth.
The film had its premiere on Sept. 8 at the Venice Film Festival, where it won a Silver Lion.
The 89th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on Feb. 26, 2017.
(Sources: http://www.rbth.com, http://www.tass.ru.com)
