Oscars: Latvia Selects 'The Mover' for International Feature Category

Davis Simanis' story of "Latvia's Oskar Schindler" is the story of a man who rescues Jews during the Nazi occupation.

Latvia has selected Davis Simanis' story of a man who rescues Jews during the Nazi occupation of his country, The Mover, for the best international feature category at the 92nd Academy Awards.

Based on the true story of Zanis Lipke, a working-class man who worked in German military warehouses during the wartime Nazi occupation of Latvia and as a smuggler of human beings at night, The Mover has been dubbed Latvia's Schindler's List.

The winner of a handful of national prizes, The Mover is a Holocaust story, like the Czech Oscar submission also unveiled Monday, Vaclav Marhoul's The Painted Bird.

An account of heroism during the horrors of total war, the film, produced by Mistrus Media with the support of National Film Center of Latvia, stars Arturs Skrastins, Ilze Blauberga, Leonids Lencs and Matiss Kipjuks. Menemsha Films is handling North American distribution. Producers Mistrus Media retains international sales.

Latvia has submitted films to the Academy Awards a dozen times since 1992, but has never been nominated.

The 92nd Academy Awards take place Feb. 9, 2020.