Oscars: Bulgaria Picks Cannes Winner ‘The Dreamed Adventure’ for Best International Feature Race

Bulgaria has selected Valeska Grisebach‘s The Dreamed Adventure as its official entry in the best international feature category for the 99th Academy Awards.

Grisebach’s slow-burning thriller follows a follows a pair of old friends who reunite decades later in the crime-ridden Bulgarian border town they left years ago. When archaeologist Veska (Yana Radeva) tries to help out her old friend Said (Syuleyman Alilov Letifov) recover his stolen car, she gets draws her into an underground world of criminal activity and becomes entwined in a war between rival criminal gangs.

Grisebach spent years researching the movie and casting non-professionals to play the leads. The German director also learned Bulgarian for the film. The Dreamed Adventure is Grisebach’s second feature shot in Bulgaria, following Western (2017).

The Dreamed Adventure premiered in competition in Cannes, where it won the Jury Prize. Janus Films picked up North American rights to the movie out of Cannes. The Match Factory is handling international sales.

Bulgaria has submitted several films to the Oscars over the years but, to date, none have been nominated or won.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the 15 films on the best international feature film shortlist on Dec. 15. The five nominees will be announced Jan. 21, 2027. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 14, 2027.