Jeddah-set romance chosen as Saudi Arabia's Oscars entry
The Film Commission has named "Mas'alat Hayat aw Mawt" (A Matter of Life or Death) as the Kingdom's submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
The Saudi Film Commission has announced that "Mas'alat Hayat aw Mawt", which translates as A Matter of Life or Death, will represent the Kingdom in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
The film was picked by the Saudi Oscars selection committee, a panel of Saudi filmmakers and specialists, after it reviewed several Saudi titles.
Directed by Anas Ba-Tahaf and written by Sarah Taibah, it is a romance with dark comedy set in Jeddah. Taibah stars alongside Yagoub Alfarhan. The story follows Hayat, who is convinced by an inherited belief that she will die at 30, and Yousef, a heart surgeon with an unusually slow heartbeat.
A submission is only the first step. The Academy narrows entries from all countries to a shortlist and then to the final nominees, and the winner is announced at the ceremony in March 2027.
