Deadline reported on October 6 that Tajikistan has selected Iranian director Behrouz Sebt Rasoul’s drama “Melody” as its candidate for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.
It reportedly marks the second time Tajikistan has chosen the feature to represent it in the Oscar race, after it selected the drama for the 96th edition but missed the deadline for getting all the required material to the Academy.
“It was submitted on time for 97th Academy Awards,” Sebt Rasoul told Deadline via email.
In a talk with Tehran Times on October 6, Behrouz Sebt Rasoul reportedly confirmed that the submission was made by the Union of Cinematographers of Tajikistan.
“Melody” is a 2023 Tajikistani-Iranian drama film written, directed, produced and edited by Behrouz Sebt Rasoul.
The film is about a music teacher, Melody, who wants to compose a heartfelt piece for children fighting cancer, using the sound of 30 birds.
At a children's cancer center, Melody teaches music to 30 children. He wants to compose a piece of music using the sounds of 30 different birds. A simple task, but when they only find 20 birds, Melody accompanied by Mango, a mute housekeeper, will embark on an old singer who knows where the rest of the birds that are being hunted are.
Behrouz Sebt Rasoul (born July 7, 1970) is an independent Iranian filmmaker, screenwriter, editor, photographer, and musician. He has succeeded with non-actors in his movies like “Identity” (2015) and “The Hidden Way” (2016). He has experience in drama and documentaries, both short and long films.
