Oscar 2017 Predictions: Colombia submits Cannes Film Festival Selection 'Alias Maria' to Represent at the Oscars

Colombia has submitted "Alias Maria" to represent the country at the Academy Awards. Directed by José Luis Rugeles Gracia, the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain regard sidebar last year.

The film tells the story of 13 year old Maria who is a member of a guerrilla unit in Colombia and is sent for a special mission together with three others to bring the commander's child into safety. Meanwhile she is pregnant herself. "Alias Maria" has obtained international exposure as it has also played at the Mill Valley, Munich, Haifa and Warsaw Film festivals. However, it has yet to obtain U.S distribution.

Colombia has been submitting films since 1980 and finally obtained its first nomination last year for the award winning film "Embrace of the Serpent." That film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and later went on to score a nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards and won an award at the Sundance Film Festival. However, Colombia has been submitting award winning films for some time including "The Wind's Journeys," "Crab Trap," "The Colors of the Mountain" and "La Playa DC."

"Alias Maria" is the latest Latin American country to submit to the Academy Awards this year. Among the films submitted this year include Dominican Republic's "La Flor de Azucar" and Cuba's "The Companion." Other countries that have submitted this year include Germany ("Toni Erdmann"), Spain (Julieta") and Romania ("Sieranevada"). Venezuela ("From Afar"), Finland ("The Happiest Day in the Life of the Olli Maki"), and Croatia ("On the Other Side").

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.