According to the ANICA selection committee, the supernatural thriller L’Estranea, directed by Paolo Strippoli, has been officially chosen to represent Italy in the International Feature Film Award category at the 99th Academy Awards. Selected from a competitive pool of twenty-one titles, the film mixes family drama with horror elements and stars Jasmine Trinca, Adriano Giannini, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, and Romana Maggiora Vergano.
ANICA Selection Details and Academy Timeline
The selection committee—consisting of Giorgio Carlo Brugnoni, Cristina Comencini, Federica Lucisano, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, and Niccolò Vivarelli, meeting before a notary as reported by ANSA—chose Strippoli’s film because it is a new genre project by a young author who has recently begun his journey and earned recognition from both national and international audiences and critics, according to official statements. L’Estranea will now compete for a spot on the Academy’s shortlist of the fifteen best international films, which will be announced on December 15, 2026. Following that milestone, the five official nominees will be revealed on January 21, 2027, leading up to the awards ceremony in Los Angeles on March 14, 2027.
Plot, Cast, and Festival Run
Distributed theatrically starting October 8, 2026, the film follows a complex narrative where a woman unexpectedly arrives at her daughter’s home to reveal family secrets tied to a pact made years earlier with an outsider. The production features Jasmine Trinca alongside Adriano Giannini playing her husband, Romana Maggiora Vergano as their daughter, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi taking on a demonic role. The project arrives on the Oscar path fresh off a screening in competition at the Venice International Film Festival and a win at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it claimed the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers.
Did you know? Director Paolo Strippoli is 33 years old and previously directed films including Piove and La valle dei sorrisi.
Competing Titles and Industry Perspective
The committee bypassed safer, more traditional choices by established auteurs like Nanni Moretti and Gabriele Muccino, opting instead for a bold genre entry. Addressing generational shifts in Italian filmmaking, Strippoli noted at the Venice Film Festival that treating directors in their fifties as “very young” points to a deeper issue in the industry, emphasizing that the perspective of a thirty-year-old holds equal weight to that of older generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Oscar shortlist announced?
The shortlist of fifteen international films will be released by the Academy on December 15, 2026.
Who stars in L’Estranea?
The cast includes Jasmine Trinca, Adriano Giannini, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, and Romana Maggiora Vergano.
When will the final Oscar nominees be named?
The official five nominees will be announced on January 21, 2027, ahead of the ceremony on March 14, 2027.
Stay Updated on the Oscar Race
Want to track international film nominations and upcoming cinema releases? Subscribe to our newsletter or explore our latest film reviews.
Worth a look