Tawfik Sabouni, the Syrian director whose own prison experience shaped his film, has won his country’s first Oscar submission. His documentary The Other Side of the Sun was picked as Syria’s entry for the best international feature film Oscar at the 99th Academy Awards.
The selection marks a first for Syria, which has never been nominated in this category before. The film focuses on Saydnaya Prison, one of the most notorious detention sites tied to the Assad regime. Sabouni, who was previously imprisoned there, returned with four fellow survivors to document the places and experiences that defined their years behind bars.
“I am deeply happy and moved by this selection,” Sabouni said. “This moment is the culmination of years of hard work, years during which I carried this film on my own, despite the doubts, the obstacles and the weight of such a responsibility. To see this project come to fruition today and find its place on such a stage is an immense personal and collective victory.”
Sabouni’s Return to Saydnaya
Sabouni went back to Saydnaya Prison with four other survivors of detention to retrace the places and experiences that shaped their years of imprisonment. The film blends testimony with reenactment, giving tangible form to memories long confined to silence.
“The film explores the experience of imprisonment in Saydnaya Prison, one of the most prominent detention sites associated with Syria’s recent history and collective memory during the previous decades of rule,” the country’s General Organisation for Cinema said. “It does so through the experience of director Tawfik Sabouni, who was previously imprisoned there, alongside four other survivors of detention.”
“Blending testimony with reenactment, the film gives tangible form to memories long confined to silence, capturing the enduring impact of incarceration in ways that spoken accounts alone cannot fully express.”
The film premiered at Berlin. Its subject matter — the experience of imprisonment under the Assad regime — carries weight in Syrian collective memory.
The Weight of the Choice
The selection comes with a heavy historical context. Saydnaya Prison has been one of the most prominent detention sites associated with Syria’s recent history and collective memory during the previous decades of rule. The film captures the experience of Sabouni and four other survivors of detention.
Sabouni framed the win as a victory for the silenced. He said the true significance of the selection lies in the voice it gives to those whom others have sought to silence.
“But beyond the artistic journey, the true significance of this selection lies in the voice it gives to those whom others have sought to silence,” Sabouni said. “The stories of the men and women who lost their lives in the prisons of the Assad regime will never be forgotten. Their memory, their suffering and their dignity will be forever etched in our minds and presented to the eyes of the world. It is to them, above all, that this selection belongs.”
The statement from the General Organisation for Cinema underscored the film’s cinematic and humanitarian context. It noted that cinema is playing an increasingly important role in documenting lived experiences, preserving collective memory, and ensuring that stories once kept from public view can finally be heard.
A New Committee Makes the Call
The international Oscar submission was decided by Syria’s newly formed committee accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). That committee represents a new chapter in the country’s participation in the international awards landscape.
Andana Films is handling worldwide sales for the film. Icarus Films has acquired U.S. rights to the film.
The decision itself follows the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. It marks the country’s first entry since that point, and it signals a renewed engagement with the international cultural sphere.
The Road to the Shortlist
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will reveal 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.
The road from submission to nomination is long, but Sabouni’s film has taken the first step. Whether it reaches the final five remains to be seen.
What the Selection Means for Syrian Cinema
Syria has never been nominated for the international Oscar. This submission changes that record.
The film’s subject matter — imprisonment under the Assad regime — is not an easy sell. But Sabouni’s personal connection to the story gives the film a gravity that pure advocacy often lacks.
The film’s blend of testimony and reenactment means audiences see and hear the experience, not just read about it. That combination could make it stand out among the submissions.
The Hard Work Behind the Film
Sabouni carried the film on his own for years, despite doubts and obstacles. The work involved returning to a place that held him captive, working with fellow survivors, and finding a way to render their memories on screen.
The process was not easy, and the responsibility weighed heavily on him. But the result is a film that has now reached the highest levels of international recognition.
The Legacy of Saydnaya
Saydnaya Prison has been a central site of detention in Syria’s recent history. The film’s focus on it gives survivors a platform to share their stories publicly.
Sabouni’s framing of the selection as belonging to the silenced is powerful. It shifts the credit away from himself and toward the people whose experiences the film documents.
A Moment of Hope
The selection is a milestone for Syrian cinema. It shows that the country’s filmmakers can compete on the world stage, even after years of conflict and repression.
Sabouni’s joy at the news is genuine. He has waited a long time for this moment, and he knows what it represents.
The film’s journey from premiere to Oscar submission is remarkable. It shows the power of persistence and the value of telling difficult truths.
The Road Ahead
The shortlist announcement is coming soon. After that, the nominees will be revealed. The film will have to hold its own against strong competition.
But Sabouni has already achieved something historic. He has given Syria its first Oscar submission, and he has done it with a film that honors the memory of those who suffered under the Assad regime.
His dedication to the project has clearly paid off.
The Final Word
Sabouni’s selection is a triumph of determination over adversity. He faced doubts, obstacles, and the weight of responsibility, yet he persevered.
The film’s subject matter is grim, but its message is hopeful. It gives voice to the silenced and preserves memories that were long confined to silence.
The Academy’s shortlist will determine whether the film advances. But Sabouni’s achievement is already secure.
He has given Syria its first Oscar submission, and he has done it with a film that honors the memory of those who suffered under the Assad regime.
Source material: “Oscars: Syria Picks ‘The Other Side of the Sun’ as Best Int’l Feature Submission, Icarus Takes Doc for U.S.,” The Hollywood Reporter.
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