"Breathing Underwater" (Hors d'haleine) will represent Luxembourg at the Oscars 2026

The Luxembourg Film Academy has decided on the nominee for the 2026 Academy Award for Best International Film. Breathing Underwater (Hors d'haleine), the debut feature film by director Eric Lamhène and produced by Samsa Film, was unanimously chosen. This is not only an endorsement of a new talent, but also an acknowledgement of the courage of a work that tackles painful but important themes.

The plot revolves around Emma (played by Carla Juri), who recovers in the hospital after a beating and unexpectedly learns that she is pregnant. Instead of returning to her husband, she chooses a shelter for women and children, where she gradually regains her lost self through new relationships and the support of other heroines. The film combines French, Luxembourgish, Spanish and Italian, emphasising the multicultural context.

The cast is impressive, with Véronique Tshanda Beya, Esperanza Martin González-Quevedo, Alessia Raschella, Sascha Ley and Luc Schiltz playing alongside Carla Juri. The visual language of the film was developed by Rae Lyn Lee, combining camerawork and screenplay. The film was produced by Claude Waringo and coproduced by Patrick Quinet of Belgium's Artémis Productions.

The film has already won the attention of critics and juries: at the European Film Festival in Lecce it won the Special Jury Prize and the Cineuropa Award, while the world premiere took place in Warsaw.

The committee, which included representatives of the film academy, the Film Fund and independent film personalities, explained the choice with "the raw power of a drama filled with rare empathy". Special recognition was given to the performance of Carla Juri, whose naturalness on screen allows the viewer to feel the very essence of inner terror and the power of overcoming.

The Academy Awards will take place on 15 March 2026. For Luxembourg, this is not only a chance to draw attention to its own film industry, but also an opportunity to make a name for itself as a country where brave, human stories of global significance are born.