Maria Schrader's feature film “Ich bin dein Mensch” (I am your human being) is a candidate for Germany in the Oscar race.
The production was selected from ten applicants as a candidate for the best international feature film category.
This was announced by German Films, the foreign representation of German film, in Munich on Wednesday.
The jury recognized a futuristic film that hits the nerve of the times.
Tells in concise dialogues that with two outstanding main actors the film varies a classic science fiction theme and shows that strong genre cinema can also come from Germany.
The film has been in German cinemas since July.
The foreign rights have already been sold in over 60 countries, it said.
At the Berlinale, leading actress Maren Eggert won the Silver Bear for best acting.
The choice of the German contribution is a preliminary stage in the race for the Oscar abroad.
The short list of 15 international applicants will be announced in December.
The five nominated films will be chosen from this short list.
The Oscars will be awarded on March 27, 2022.
The tragic comedy “Ich bin dein Mensch” by Maria Schrader (“Unorthodox”) tells of an experiment: the scientist Alma is supposed to test a robot as a life partner. The film raises elementary questions with great ease: What do people need? What makes us human anyway? And how desirable is happiness? The Berlin Museum Island with the Pergamon Museum serves as the backdrop. At the end of the day, Alma is supposed to write a report and assess whether it should be allowed in the future for robots to marry, for example.