In a year in which the Best International Feature category has become even more expansive, a new country is submitting their first film for consideration in the prestigious Oscar category.
IndieWire can exclusively reveal that Cyprus is submitting Myrsini Aristidou’s “Hold Onto Me,” an award winner at Sundance 2026, as the inaugural film to represent the small Mediterranean island in Best International Feature at the 99th Academy Awards.
Aristidou’s feature debut premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival this year; it tells the story of a young girl named Iris who comes back into contact with her estranged father Aris shortly after running amok in her hometown, alongside her older friend Danae.
“From winning the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance to becoming Cyprus’ historic first official entry for the Academy Awards, this film has truly persevered against all odds,” said Aristidou via statement. “While the picture follows a young girl seeking out a father figure, its heartbeat is a universal reminder that in an increasingly fractured world, we ought to remember to hold onto each other.”
Prior to “Hold Onto Me,” Aristidou directed the short “Semele,” which won the Special Jury Prize at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival, and “Aria,” which was made with the support of Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee, and premiered at the 2017 Venice Film Festival. Represented by Anonymous Content, the Cypriot director is also an alum of programs like the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence and the TIFF Talent Lab, and won the Spiegel Lab’s Emerging Filmmaker Prize.
Aristidou added, “I am deeply grateful and honored to represent my country with such an intimate story, a debut feature that took many years to realize. We know we enter this race as an underdog, but we have made it this far because of the profound connection and warmth we’ve received from international audiences. We will keep aiming high, giving it all we’ve got, and trusting the film to continue finding its way into people’s hearts.”
Countries have until Wednesday, September 30, 2026 to make their submissions for Best International Feature. Preliminary voting for the 10 shortlisted Oscars categories will occur from December 7 through 11. The following week, on Tuesday, December 15, the Academy will announce its Oscars shortlists, and voters will later choose the five Best International Feature nominees from a list of the 15 submissions that received the most votes.
The 2027 Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 21, and the 99th Academy Awards will occur on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
