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The movie had its premiere at the Tallinn film festival last November, where it collected the best cinematography award.

Latvia has selected Melanijas hronika (The Chronicles of Melanie), a co-production with the Czech Republic and Finland directed by Viestur Kairish, for best foreign-language film for the Oscars.

The WWII drama is focused on the events of 1941, when over 40 000 residents of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were arrested under Stalin's orders and sent to exile in Siberia.

Featuring Swiss actress Sabine Timoteo as the main character, journalist Melanie, The Chronicles of Melanie premiered in Latvia on Nov. 1, 2016.

The movie was co-produced by Latvia's Mistrus Media, Finland's Inland Films and the Czech Republic's 8HeadsProductions.

In November 2016, the film's DOP Gints Berzins collected best cinematography honors at the Tallinn international film festival Black Nights.

The Chronicles of Melanie is Latvia's ninth foreign-language Oscar submission since 1992. No Latvian film has yet made the shortlist for the Academy Awards.


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