Lars von Trier and Joergen Leth's provocative andplayful experimental documentary The Five Obstructions has been selected as Denmark's official Oscarcandidate for best foreign language film category.

The film had its world premiere in Venice last year and hassince won acclaim across the world, screening in Toronto, Amsterdam andSundance among others. Two weeks ago it received the Grand Prix at DanishOdense International Film Festival for shorts- and documentaries.

The film sees Lars von Trier challenge his idol Joergen Lethby asking him to remake his classic 1967 short The Perfect Human in five different ways with Trier setting theguidelines for the creative process. The Five Obstructions was produced by Carsten Holst of Zentropa Real withbacking from the Danish Film Institute, DR TV, Nordic Film & TV Fund, aswell as Eurimages.

Despite international acclaim in recent years for its films,Denmark hasn't been nominated in the Best Foreign Language category atthe Academy Awards since 1989's Waltzing Regitze. In total Denmark has had only six nominations ofwhich two took home the Oscar: 1987's Babette's Feast and 1988's Pelle The Conqueror. Last year's candidate was Reconstruction.