The Argentinian Academy of Film Arts and Science hasselected Daniel Burman's fifth feature Family Law as its submission for the foreign language filmcategory at next year's Academy Awards.

The E1.7 million Argentinian-French-Spanish-Italianco-production follows a justice department official (Daniel Hendler) who isforced to confront life-changing decisions when his father dies.

Family Law wasselected as the opening film of the Panorama Special section at this year'sBerlin Film Festival and was seen in Argentina by 195,000 spectators on 33screens. The dramatic comedy was also released in France this month.

Celluloid Dreams is handling international sales for thefilm. IFC's First Take Films will launch it in the USA in December.

"We have great confidence in this year's candidate notonly because it's a great film by a 33 year-old talented director but alsobecause it has been sold to all major territories, included the USA," saidAcademy president, producer Pablo Bossi.

Oscar nominations are announced on Jan 23; Argentina gotits last nomination in 2002 with Juan Jose Campanella's Son of the Bride.

The local Academy, comprised of 222 renowned professionals(directors, producers, screenwriters, actors and technicians), also namedAlejandro Doria's The Hands as theArgentinian submission for Best Latin American Film category at the SpanishGoya Awards to be held next January in Madrid.

Based on the true story of father Mario Pantaleo, a priestborn in Italy who emigrated to Argentina and who had power in his hands to curereal diseases, The Hands sold 230,000tickets on 50 screens so far.