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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Swiss Film About Gaza Survivors Selected for 2027 Oscars

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Switzerland has selected the documentary "Who Is Still Alive" to represent the country at the 2027 Academy Awards.
  • The film focuses on the personal experiences of nine Palestinians who escaped Gaza, detailing their struggles with loss and displacement.
  • Director Nicolas Wadimoff hopes the film will amplify the voices of the survivors and promote Swiss values of humanism and dialogue.

Switzerland has officially chosen the documentary "Who Is Still Alive" by director Nicolas Wadimoff to compete in the International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards. The selection was made by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture.

The film centers on the harrowing experiences of nine Palestinian survivors who managed to escape the Gaza Strip. It delves into their personal narratives of loss, displacement, and the ongoing impact of what the article describes as Israel's "genocide in Gaza." Rather than relying on news reports, "Who Is Still Alive" places the survivors' individual journeys at the forefront, offering a glimpse into life in Gaza before the conflict, the challenges of fleeing, and the subsequent feelings of alienation and displacement.

This is a great honor that makes us very happy. At the same time, it is a great responsibility to showcase the figures and voice the aspirations of the main characters in this film. They are all survivors of the hell of Gaza who have faced unimaginable experiences, yet have survived and stand tall.

— Nicolas WadimoffDirector of 'Who Is Still Alive' on the film's selection for the Oscars and the responsibility it carries.

For Wadimoff, "Who is Still Alive" marks his third film addressing the Palestinian issue, following "Aisheen (Still Alive in Gaza)" (2008) and "The Apollo of Gaza" (2018). He expressed that the film's selection as Switzerland's Oscar representative is a significant honor and a responsibility. "This is a great honor that makes us very happy. At the same time, it is a great responsibility to showcase the figures and voice the aspirations of the main characters in this film. They are all survivors of the hell of Gaza who have faced unimaginable experiences, yet have survived and stand tall," Wadimoff told Variety.

Wadimoff views this opportunity as a chance to champion Swiss values such as humanism, humanitarianism, dialogue, and respect for others. The production of the documentary presented considerable challenges, with filming taking place in South Africa, one of the few countries accessible to Gazan Palestinians without a visa. "Who Is Still Alive" premiered at the Venice Days program in 2025, received the Prix de Soleure at the Solothurn Film Festival in early 2026, and was nominated for best documentary at the Swiss Film Awards. It has since been screened at various international festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival.

We will do our best to prove that we deserve this selection.

— Nicolas WadimoffWadimoff expressed determination following the film's selection as Switzerland's Oscar entry.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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