MEXICO CITY: The ninth time may be the charm for Mexico at the Oscars. The Mexican film academy announced Friday that it has chosen "Roma," by Alfonso Cuaron, as its bid for a best foreign language film nomination.
"Roma," which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, is a deeply personal film for the director of "Gravity" and "Children of Men." It is Cuaron's first in Spanish and first filmed in his native country since his 2001 breakthrough "Y Tu Mama Tambien."
Mexico has competed for the trophy eight times, most recently in 2011 with "Biutiful" by Alejandro G. Inarritu, but has never won.
"Roma," with Oscar-winner Cuaron also serving as cinematographer, will be available on Netflix this December.
Academy Award nominations will be announced on Jan. 22.
In Venice, Cuaron had accepted the Leone d'Oro, which he said was the birthday of the woman who inspired the lead character Cleo, a young domestic worker with her own troubles amid political strife in the city's Roma neighbourhood.