Ivaylo Hristov's "Losers" will represent Bulgaria at the Oscars. The film, about three friends who share the same ideas, premiered at the Moscow Film Festival and later went on to screen at Palm Springs, Warsaw and San Sebastian Film Festivals.

"Losers" marks the first time the country submits a film by Hristov and marks the 24th time the country submits to the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences. Bulgaria has never been nominated for the Oscars even though it has been submitting since 1971. Only once has the country made the January shortlist and that was in 2009 for the film "The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner." That film premiered at the Saturno Film Festival and later went on to screen in Zurich, Moscow and Sofia.

Last year the country submitted "The Judgement." The film was an award winning drama that played at Sofia, Raindance, Haifa and Warsaw Film Festivals. However, it did not receive the buzz necessary for the Oscar nomination.

"Losers" will go up against a number of award winning films including Colombia's "Alias Maria," Venezuela's "From Afar" and Germany's "Toni Erdmann." It will also have to face off against Georgia's "House of Others, South Korea's "The Age of Shadows" and Spain's popular hit "Julieta."

In recent years the Academy has awarded "Son of Saul," "Ida," "The Great Beauty," and "A Separation" the best foreign language film of the year. Other winners include "In a Better World" and "The Secret in Their Eyes."

The deadline to submit for the foreign language category is Oct. 3. On Jan. 17 the Academy will announce the nine finalists from among the eligible films and on Jan. 24 nominations will be announced. The winner will be announced at the Oscar ceremony on Feb. 26, 2017.

Related