Syria submits first post-Assad Oscar entry on Saydnaya

Syria has submitted The Other Side of the Sun for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. This marks the country's first Oscar entry since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and the inaugural selection by a newly established Syrian committee accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The committee, overseen by the General Organization for Cinema, chose the documentary by director Tawfik Sabouni.

A film forged in the testimony of Saydnaya survivors

The documentary is based on Sabouni's own imprisonment at Saydnaya Prison, a facility infamously known as the 'Human Slaughterhouse'. An estimated 30,000 people were killed there by the Assad regime, with tens of thousands more held on sham charges and tortured. After the regime's fall, Sabouni returned to Saydnaya with four other former inmates. Together, the five survivors use reenactment to convey their memories of detention and torture. The film serves as a documentary record exploring their experiences through testimony, confronting the legacy of Syria’s prison system.

Institutional backing and international journey

Produced by Clin d’Oeil Films of Belgium and France's Habilis Productions, the film received support from the Red Sea Film Fund. Its international journey includes a world premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year and participation in several other festivals. International sales are now handled by Andana Films. The film also won the Audience Award in the Arab Documentary Feature Competition at the Amman International Film Festival.

Official announcement amid national transition

The selection was announced via the official account of the General Organization for Cinema, which framed the moment as a significant milestone. The announcement follows recent political changes in Syria, including the establishment of a transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The General Organisation for Cinema said: "The selection of The Other Side of the Sun comes within a distinctive cinematic and humanitarian context." Director Tawfik Sabouni expressed his profound reaction to the news. "I am deeply happy and moved by this selection. This moment is the culmination of years of hard work..." he said.

A filmmaker’s return from exile

Sabouni left Syria for Belgium, where he obtained a master's degree in film directing from the National Higher Institute for Cinematic Studies. His previous film, Without a Homeland, which he wrote and directed, was selected for the Student Academy Awards in 2023. This Oscar nomination marks the beginning of a new phase in the international journey for The Other Side of the Sun. Its final eligibility and acceptance into the official Academy Awards competition remain subject to decisions by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.