The Norwegian Oscarcommittee has chosen Erik Poppe's Hawaii, Oslo as the country's official candidate for the Oscars'best foreign language film category.

The film grossed a solidNOK1.2m upon release this weekend after rave reviews from the Norwegian InternationalFilm Festival in Haugesund, where it also picked up the critics' and ecumenicalprize.

Written by Harald Rosenloew Eeg (Scars), Hawaii, Oslo is the second part of Poppe's planned Oslo-trilogyfollowing 1998's Schpaa. Themagical realist drama follows a handful of people who cross each other's pathsduring the hottest day of the year. The young cast including Trond Espen Seimand Aksel Hennie. Finn Gjerdrum produced for his Paradox Film.

Norway had 18 films tochoose from this year; the country last secured an Oscar nomination in 2001with Petter Naess' Elling.