Ireland has entered its selection for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards, choosing the Irish-language crime thriller Aontas as its official submission. The announcement was made by the Irish Film & Television Academy on Thursday, positioning director Damian McCann's film as the country's contender for the 97th Oscars.
The film, which premiered earlier this year on February 13, 2026, has already generated considerable buzz within the industry. With a runtime of 92 minutes, Aontas tells the story of three unlikely women who rob a rural Irish Credit Union, with the narrative unfolding in a backwards chronology that gradually reveals what went wrong. The thriller has drawn strong critical attention, earning a 7/10 rating on TMDb from early viewers and festival audiences.
Aontas stars Carrie Crowley as Mairéad, Brid Brennan as Cáit, and Eva-Jane Gaffney as Sheila, the trio at the center of the heist gone awry. The supporting cast includes Seán T. Ó Meallaigh as Colly, Marcus Lamb as Dara, Art Parkinson as Éamonn, Naseen Morgan as Elma, and Niall Mac Eachmharcaigh as Brían. The production marks a notable entry in Irish-language cinema, which has seen growing international recognition in recent years.
A Backwards Look at a Heist Gone Wrong
The film's structure is among its most talked-about elements. Rather than presenting a traditional linear narrative, Aontas opens after the robbery has already taken place and works its way backwards, piece by piece, toward the initial decision to commit the crime. This reverse chronology allows audiences to see the consequences of the women's actions before understanding their motivations, creating a slow-burn tension that critics have praised for its originality.
The setting itself plays a significant role in the film's atmosphere. The rural Irish Credit Union, a staple institution in small communities across the country, becomes an unlikely target and a symbol of the economic pressures facing the film's characters. The choice of this setting grounds the thriller in a distinctly Irish context while exploring universal themes of desperation, loyalty, and the unintended consequences of a single bad decision.
Ireland's Strong Track Record in the Category
Ireland's selection of Aontas continues a recent pattern of strong submissions to the international feature category. The country has earned several nominations in the past decade, with films like An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) making history as the first Irish-language film to be nominated for the award in 2023. That film's success helped pave the way for greater visibility of Irish-language productions on the global stage.
For director Damian McCann, the selection represents a significant career milestone. While he has built a reputation within Irish television and independent cinema, Aontas marks his most high-profile feature to date. The film's February release allowed it to build word-of-mouth momentum throughout the year, and industry observers have noted that its critical reception could give it a competitive edge when the shortlist is announced later this year.
What the Submission Means for the Film's Future
The Academy's Best International Feature Film category requires each country to submit one film for consideration, with the winner determined through a multi-round voting process. The shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December, followed by the five final nominees in January. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in March 2027.
With the submission now official, Aontas will be screened for Academy members and will need to secure a place on the shortlist before it can compete for the final nomination. The film's Irish-language dialogue - the original language for the production is listed as Irish (ga) - aligns with the category's emphasis on authentic cultural representation. As the Academy has increasingly recognized diverse voices and languages in recent years, Aontas enters the race with a profile that stands out among this year's submissions.
The film's distributor has not announced any additional theatrical expansion plans tied to the Oscar campaign, though such announcements typically follow once a film is formally shortlisted. For now, the team behind Aontas will focus on building visibility among Academy voters, with the backwards-narrative thriller representing Ireland's hopes for another historic nomination in the international feature category.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
