ŻEJTUNE, written and directed by Maltese-American filmmaker Alex Camilleri, has been selected as Malta's official submission for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
The selection was made by the Malta Academy Selection Committee (MASC), an independent jury of Maltese creative professionals convened by the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) and the Malta Producers' Association (MPA).
Shot almost entirely in Maltese, ŻEJTUNE follows Mar, who returns to Malta determined to sever her ties with the country once and for all by claiming her inheritance.
Her journey across the islands, accompanied by a charismatic 80-year-old Ghanaian troubadour, gradually leads her to reconnect with Malta, its culture and traditions. The film explores the country through its landscape, language and living folk-song tradition.
ŻEJTUNE premiered internationally in competition at the Göteborg Film Festival before making its North American premiere at the Tribeca Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay award in the International Narrative Competition.
The film has subsequently screened at a number of international festivals, including the Cabourg Film Festival, Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival, Split Mediterranean Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and Cinema Jove - Valencia International Film Festival, where it received the award for Best Sound and Music.
It has also been screened at the Hamburg International Film Festival, Festival of 5 Continents and Valenciennes Film Festival.
The film has also attracted a strong local audience, recording more than 11,000 admissions in Maltese cinemas. It has been sold to 22 countries, including France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Balkans and several Eastern European territories.
ŻEJTUNE is Camilleri's second feature film. His debut, LUZZU, premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award for Acting, and was subsequently selected as Malta's submission for the 94th Academy Awards.
Camilleri is also a recipient of the Independent Spirit "Someone to Watch" Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
ŻEJTUNE is produced by Oliver Mallia, Ramin Bahrani and Camilleri for Solari Productions and Pellikola.
The film was selected following the Malta Academy Selection Committee's assessment of this year's eligible submissions.
Malta's submission will now be considered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the International Feature Film category. The Academy is expected to announce the films deemed eligible, followed by any shortlist and nominations, at a later stage.