Vatican City submits a film for the Oscars for the first time

For the first time in the 97-year history of the Academy Awards, a film produced by Vatican City has entered the selection process. The film, titled Green Lava, is directed by Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu and documents the emotional journey of Giacomo Mattivi, an Italian man living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy following the death of his brother from the same condition. This rare and serious genetic disease causes the progressive weakening and breakdown of body muscles. Paolo Ruffini of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication expressed hope that the film will reach a wide audience through this platform.

While the film is linked to the Vatican, reports from Variety indicate it is not officially representing the state in the typical fashion required for international feature categories. Because the submission falls under the short film category, it does not necessitate approval from a national committee, allowing the production to be considered independently for the prestigious cinematic honor.