The film is nominated for the Academy Award by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the category of 'Best International Feature Film.' The films submitted for evaluation were reviewed by a commission of industry experts established by the National Cinema Centre (NCC), the composition of which was approved by the American Academy. The commission included producers Alise Gelze and Matis Kaja, film critic Kristīne Simson, producer and director Raitis Abeles, and NCC head Dita Rietuma. This year, Latvian film producers presented two feature films to the commission: the film by director Dzintra Dreiberga 'In the Net. The Birth of the TTT Legend' and the film by Kairišs and Avots 'Ulya.' After evaluating the quality of the films created in different aesthetics, the national expert commission decided to nominate 'Ulya' from Latvia for the Academy Award in the category of 'Best International Film,' which had its world premiere in May as part of the Cannes Film Festival's 'Un certain regard' competition. Avots received international recognition for his role in this film, winning the best actor award at the Jerusalem Film Festival. 'Ulya' has already been named the opening film at several A-list festivals this fall, and this background is significant in the context of the Academy Award, noted representatives of the NCC. 'Ulya' will be released in Latvian cinemas in mid-September, with the national premiere scheduled for September 16. The film is a co-production of Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Lithuania. It was created by the studio 'Ego Media' in collaboration with the Estonian studio 'Allfilm,' the Polish 'Staron Film,' and the Lithuanian 'Tremora.' The film 'Ulya' is based on the idea of actor Avots playing a story of self-discovery of a teenage girl, inspired by the biography of Latvian basketball player Uļjana Semenova. The film is set in Latvia in the late 1960s. The protagonist, Ulya, grows up in a remote Latvian homestead in a family of Old Believers, and her height raises doubts among her relatives about whether there will be a place for such a tall girl in this world. When a class photograph reaches basketball coaches, Ulya is taken to Riga to join a famous basketball team. However, it is not easy for her to believe in herself, accept herself, and find her way to transform from a confused teenager into a world-class athlete. The screenwriters are Avots, Līvija Ulmane, and Andris Feldmanis, the director is Kairišs, and the producer is Guntis Trekteris. The cinematographer is Polish Wojciech Staroń, and the production designer is Ieva Jurjāne. The first Latvian film nominated for the Academy Award was the film 'Child of Man' by director Jānis Streičs in 1991. Last year, the feature animated film by the Abeles brothers 'Dog of God' was nominated for the award.
