TEHRAN – “Coup 53” and “The Art of Living in Danger”, Iran’s co-production with the UK, U.S. and Germany, are among 238 movies eligible for consideration in the documentary feature category of the Academy Awards 2021.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday released its official entries for the 2021 Oscars in the categories of documentary feature, animated feature and international films.

Directed by Taqi Amirani, “Coup 53” received the audience award at the 14th edition of Cinéma Vérité, Iran’s major international festival for documentary films, last December.

While making a documentary about the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953, Amirani and editor Walter Murch find an extraordinary and never before seen archive. Documents and 16mm footage recount this story in unprecedented detail, with explosive revelations about secrets hidden for 66 years. From a historical documentary about four days in August 1953, the film becomes a living investigation that exposes the roots of Iran’s volatile relationships with the United Kingdom and the USA.

In “The Art of Living in Danger”, director Mina Keshavarz discovers a family secret about her grandmother’s death. Her grandmother, forced to marry at a young age, gave birth to seven children and took her own life at the age of 35 during her eighth pregnancy.

The film was selected as best documentary at the Busan International Film Festival in 2020.

Earlier the academy announced that “Am I a Wolf?” by directed by Amir-Hushang Moin and “Song Sparrow” directed by Farzaneh Omidvarnia from Iran are among the 96 short animated movies qualifying for the Academy Awards 2021 longlist.    

Director Majid Majidi’s child labor drama “Sun Children” is also Iran’s submission to the foreign-language category of 2021 Oscars.

Shortlists will be revealed on February 9 and the nominations will be announced on March 15. The 93rd Academy Awards are set for April 25 on ABC.

Photo: A poster for “Coup 53” by Taqi Amirani.

MMS/YAW