Oscars: U.K. Selects Iran Doc ‘Rehearsals for a Revolution’ as Best International Feature Entry

The U.K. has selected Pegah Ahangarani’s Rehearsals for a Revolution, which won the L’Oeil d’Or for best documentary at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as its entry in the best international feature film category at the 2027 Oscars.

The film traces more than 40 years of Iran’s history through Ahangarani’s personal experiences of exile and the stories of her relatives and mentors. Drawing on personal archives, home videos, footage of street protests, newspapers and recorded voices, the filmmaker pieces together a portrait of a country shaped by political repression and a continuing hope for revolution.

Ahangarani, 42, wrote, researched, and edited the film in the U.K. over more than two and a half years, working with a team of British collaborators. The film made its world premiere in the special screenings section at Cannes earlier this year, then screened at the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.

Rehearsals for a Revolution was released in the U.K. in September. Sony Pictures Classics will hold Oscar-qualifying runs in New York and Los Angeles in December before opening the film exclusively at Landmark’s Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles and Film Forum in New York on Jan. 8, 2027. The film will then roll out to more theaters across the country in the following weeks.

“How extraordinary to see Pegah’s remarkable film recognized in this category. From winning the L’Oeil d’Or at Cannes to the standing ovations at TIFF and now this recognition, Rehearsals for a Revolution is building incredible momentum and marking a significant moment for a formidable female filmmaker creating in exile from her home country,” Sony Pictures Classics said in a statement. “This selection in the best international feature category has the potential to be truly transformative for the film, opening doors to audiences around the world while shining a spotlight on Pegah’s extraordinary talent and her vital voice. It’s a recognition that will have a lasting impact not only on the life of this film, but on Pegah’s future career as a filmmaker.”

Norway’s Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier and starring Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård, won the best international feature film award at the 98th Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the 15-film shortlist for the 2027 best international feature film Oscar on Dec. 15, with the five nominees to be revealed Jan. 21. The 99th Academy Awards will take place March 14, 2027.