Feature-length animation Rocks In my Pockets is Latvia’s entry for the Academy Awards.
Rocks In my Pockets by New York-based Latvian animator Signe Baumane is to represent Latvia in the run for the Oscars in the Best Foreign-Language Film category.
The film is currently on release in the US through Zeitgeist Films and has had an extended run at New York’s IFC Center.
Baumane and co-producer Sturgis Warner will also submit the film for the Oscar’s Animated Feature Film category.
The Latvia-US production is a personal story of the animator and tackles depression. The film tells the story of five women from Baumane’s family, including herself, and their battles with madness.
The film world premiered as the first ever animation in the international competition of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival where it picked up the FIPRESCI award and Special Mention of the Ecumenical jury.
It has since picked up the top top prize at Polish animation festival Animator and has been selected for San Sebastian, Busan and London International Animation Festival among others.
The film has two versions – a less dense one in Latvian, which is submitted for the Academy’s consideration, and a more informative one in English, where extra commentary of the Latvian historical and political background is given.
World sales are handled by the Polish agency New Europe Film Sales.
Jan Naszewski, CEO, said: “We hope that the film can make an impact similar to last year’s The Missing Picture, which was on the shortlist for best foreign language film. We are happy to see an animation and a strong female voice in this competition.”
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