International Oscar Race: Australia Selects ‘When Pomegranates Howl’; Argentina Picks ‘The Intruder’

Australia is sending Granaz Moussavi’s When Pomegranates Howl to the Academy as its submission for this year’s International Oscar race.

The Australia-Afghanistan co-production, from Iranian-Australian filmmaker Moussavi, is an anti-war drama. Shot in Afghanistan, the story follows Hewad, an irrepressible nine-year old boy who hustles on the streets of Kabul – selling everything from pomegranate juice to protection from the evil eye.

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The film is up for Best Youth Feature Film at the 2021 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, which announces November 11.

Separately, Argentina has selected Natalia Meta’s horror-thriller The Intruder as its entry.

The film debuted at Berlinale last year. It is the story of Inés, a young woman who after a traumatic episode during a trip with her partner begins to confuse herself between the real and the imaginary.

Producers on the movie are Rei Cine and Picnic Producciones, with co-producers Infinity Hill and Barraca Producciones, in association with Piano, Televisión Federal (Telefe) and Viacom International Studios. Disney released locally.

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