Turkish co-production advances to Oscar shortlist

By Salih Seref

ISTANBUL (AA) – A Turkish co-production is on the shortlist for the Best International Film at the 2021 Academy Awards, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) announced Wednesday.

The film Quo Vadis, Aida? (Where are you going, Aida?), directed by Jasmila Zbanic, takes place in a UN base in the city of Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the days of the genocide when thousands of Bosnians, including women and children, were killed by Serb forces.

In the film, Bosnian-born Zbanic uses strong cinematic language to follow the impact of the Bosnian War on its victims and witnesses, especially women and children.

In 2006 Zbanic won the Best Film Award, Peace Film Award, and Ecumenical Jury Award at the 56th Berlin Film Festival for her first film Grbavica (Esma's Secret).

Quo Vadis, Aida? is a co-production of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and was previously shown at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals.

The film advanced to the top 15 films of the shortlist in the Best International Film category, which films from 93 countries submitted to, according to a statement from TRT.

A co-production between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France and Norway, the film is about the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.

Following Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Uc Maymun (Three Monkeys) in 2008, the film is the first Turkish co-production in over a dozen years to be shortlisted for the Best International Film nod.

Last year, the TRT-supported Macedonian film Honeyland competed in the Best International Film and Best Documentary categories at the 92nd Oscar Awards and won the Best Documentary honor.

Delayed this year due to coronavirus, next month academy members will evaluate films in nine categories and announce the Oscar nominations on March 15.