Tawfik Sabouni’s powerful and deeply personal documentary “The Other Side of the Sun” has officially been chosen to represent Syria in the best international feature film category at the 2027 Academy Awards. The selection marks a profound milestone for the nation’s cinema, representing Syria’s very first official Oscar candidate since the collapse of the dictatorial regime of Bashar Assad in December 2024.
The announcement was made by Syria’s General Organization for Cinema, signaling a dramatic turning point for the country’s cultural landscape. Notably, this is the first official selection made by a newly formed Syrian selection committee that has been fully accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). According to a statement released by international sales agent Andana Films, this groundbreaking submission “underscores a new chapter in the country’s participation in the international awards landscape.”
The documentary first drew international critical acclaim earlier this year when it celebrated its world premiere as part of the prestigious Panorama section of the Berlinale. Following its successful festival debut in Berlin, “The Other Side of the Sun” continued its trajectory across the global festival circuit, screening at various international events and earning notable prizes at the Amman International Film Festival in Jordan.
As the film prepares for its upcoming Oscar campaign, its distribution footprint has also expanded. Andana Films, which manages worldwide sales for the project, announced that New York-based independent distributor Icarus Films has officially acquired the U.S. rights to the documentary, ensuring that American audiences will have the opportunity to witness its urgent message.
Inside “The Other Side of the Sun” and the Legacy of Saydnaya
“The Other Side of the Sun” follows director Tawfik Sabouni as he returns to the Syrian capital of Damascus in the immediate aftermath of the sudden collapse of the Assad regime. Upon his return, Sabouni reunites with four fellow former detainees who, like him, survived the horrors of the notorious Saydnaya prison—one of the most harrowing and prominent detention sites associated with Syria’s recent history and the systematic oppression of the previous decades of authoritarian rule.
Rather than relying solely on archival footage or traditional talking-head interviews, the documentary employs a visceral and haunting approach. Through meticulously staged reenactments filmed inside the prison itself, the documentary transforms raw, painful memory into concrete testimony. According to promotional materials provided by Andana Films, the project brilliantly “turns memory into testimony, revealing resilience and an unbroken will to survive.”
The General Organization for Cinema emphasized the unique humanitarian and artistic weight of the project in its official statement. “The selection of ‘The Other Side of the Sun’ comes within a distinctive cinematic and humanitarian context,” the organization noted. “The film explores the experience of imprisonment in Saydnaya Prison, one of the most prominent detention sites associated with Syria’s recent history and collective memory during the previous decades of rule. It does so through the experience of director Tawfik Sabouni, who was previously imprisoned there, alongside four other survivors of detention.”
Director Tawfik Sabouni Reflects on an Unprecedented Milestone
For director Tawfik Sabouni, the selection of his debut feature film by his home country is an emotional culmination of a grueling, deeply isolated creative journey. Carrying the heavy burden of documenting such immense trauma required years of perseverance against overwhelming odds.
“I am deeply happy and moved by this selection,” Sabouni shared in a heartfelt statement following the announcement. “This moment is the culmination of years of hard work, years during which I carried this film on my own, despite the doubts, the obstacles, and the weight of such a responsibility. To see this project come to fruition today and find its place on such a stage is an immense personal and collective victory.”
However, Sabouni was quick to shift the focus away from his personal artistic triumph, emphasizing that the true value of the film lies in its function as a megaphone for those who were silenced by a brutal regime.
“Beyond the artistic journey, the true significance of this selection lies in the voice it gives to those whom others have sought to silence,” Sabouni continued. “The stories of the men and women who lost their lives in the prisons of the Assad regime will never be forgotten. Their memory, their suffering, and their dignity will be forever etched in our minds and presented to the eyes of the world. It is to them, above all, that this selection belongs.”
Production Backing and the Road to the 99th Academy Awards
The international scope of “The Other Side of the Sun” is reflected in its transatlantic production team. The documentary is a collaborative production helmed by France’s Dérives, Habilis Productions, and Clin d’Oeil Films, whose collective support allowed Sabouni to bring his singular vision to the screen despite the extreme logistical and emotional challenges of the subject matter.
With its official submission now secured by Syria’s newly accredited Oscar committee, the film enters the competitive race for the 99th Academy Awards. The path ahead involves navigating the broader international feature film shortlist, which will be officially announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on December 15. Following the shortlist announcement, the final five nominees for the category will be revealed on January 21, leading up to the grand 99th Academy Awards ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on March 14 in Los Angeles.
