Italy has submitted "Fire at Sea" to represent the country at the Academy Awards.

The film by Gianfranco Rossi made its world premiere at the Berlin FIlm Festival where it won the Golden Bear. The movie later premiered at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festival and is slated to open at the New York and Chicago Film Festivals.

The documentary captures the life on the Italian island of Lampedusa, a frontline in the European migrant crisis. The film was picked up for distribution by Kino Lorber and is slated to open at the end of the year.

Italy is no stranger to the Oscars as it holds the record for most wins. The country has won 11 Oscars and three honorary awards. Among the films that have taken home the Oscar include "Life is Beautiful," "Cinema Paradiso" and "8 ½." The last time Italy took home the Oscar was in 2013 for Paolo Sorrentino's film "The Great Beauty."

Last year the country submitted "Don't be Bad," which made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. However, it never resonated with the Academy and never obtained U.S distribution.

Italy is among the few to have submitted a documentary but "Fire at Sea's" acclaim will surely make it among the favorites. Other favorites include Denmark's "Land of Mine," Germany's "Toni Erdmann" and Spain's "Julieta." Other European films that will compete for the Oscar include Georgia's "House of Others," Romania's "Sieranevada," Belgium's "The Ardennes," Greece's "Chevalier," Estonia's "Mother., and Bosnia's "Death in Sarajevo."

The Foreign Language Film deadline to submit 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.

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