Maltese film Żejtune has been officially selected as Malta’s submission for the 99th Academy Awards, entering consideration in the Best International Feature Film category.

The film was chosen by the Malta Academy Selection Committee, which comprises the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association and the Malta Producers’ Association. Written and directed by Alex Camilleri, Żejtune is told almost entirely in Maltese and follows a woman named Mar who returns to the islands intending to claim an inheritance and sever ties with her homeland, only to find that a journey alongside an octogenarian għana troubadour gradually shifts her relationship with Malta and its culture.

The film has already built a strong international track record. It premiered at the Göteborg Film Festival before winning Best Screenplay in the International Narrative Competition at New York’s Tribeca Festival, and has collected further awards at festivals in Split and Valencia. Back home, it has recorded more than 11,000 cinema admissions, while distribution deals have placed the production in 22 countries.

Camilleri produced the film alongside Oliver Mallia and Ramin Bahrani for Solari Productions and Pellikola. He previously received the Independent Spirit “Someone to Watch” Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship, credentials that speak to a director with a longer international pedigree than a debut feature might suggest.

The selection submits Żejtune for Academy consideration; the film has not yet received an Oscar nomination.