Zvyagintsev's 'Loveless' Shortlisted for 2017 Foreign Language Film Oscar

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Thursday that a Russian movie by Andrey Zvyagintsev, "Loveless," has made the cut for the 2017 Oscar shortlist in the foreign language film category.

"Nine features will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 90th Academy Awards," the press release read.

Ninety-two films had originally been considered in the category. Other contenders are "A Fantastic Woman" by Chile's Sebastian Lelio, "In the Fade" by Germany's Fatih Akin, "On Body and Soul" by Hungary's Ildiko Enyedi, "Foxtrot" by Israel's Samuel Maoz, "The Insult" by Lebanon's Ziad Doueiri, "Felicite" by Senegal's Alain Gomis, "The Wound" by South Africa's John Trengove, and "The Square" by Sweden's Ruben Ostlund.

The nine movies will be screened over a three-day period from January 12, 2018. Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on January 23 and the ceremony will be held on March 4.

Loveless is a drama about a young couple in the middle of a divorce, too busy with their own problems, who almost failed to notice when one day their 12-year-old son Alyosha goes missing.

In May, Loveless received the Jury Prize at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. In July, the movie won the top prize at the Munich International Film festival.

In 2016, the BBC published a film critic poll ranking the best 100 films of the 21st century, which included two films directed by Zvyagintsev — The Return and Leviathan.