Oscars: Azerbaijan Selects 'Pomegranate Orchard' for Foreign-Language Category

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Ilgar Najaf's story of the return home of a wayward son had its world premiere in Karlovy Vary last month.

Azerbaijan has selected Ilgar Najaf's Pomegranate Orchard — the story of the return home of a wayward son — as its submission for best foreign-language film for next year's Oscars.
The film is about an old man living in a decrepit old house with his grandson and daughter-in-law surrounded by a vast orchard of pomegranates. When the man's son returns home in an attempt to heal deep emotional scars, the ancient tranquility of the rural idyll is harshly interrupted.
The film, which had its world premiere last month in Karlovy Vary's East of the West competition, was written by Asif Rustamov, Ilgar Najaf and Dutch script doctor Roelof Yn Minneboo, is inspired by Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard.
The film was nominated as the national contender for the 90th Academy Awards by the Azerbaijani Filmmakers Union.