Oliver Masset-Depasse’s film premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Belgium has selected Oliver Masset-Depasse’s Illegal as its entry for the foreign language Oscar category.

The film stars Anne Coesens as an illegal Russian immigrant living in Belgium with her 13 year old son, who is arrested and placed in a detention centre.

Produced by Jacques-Henri and Olivier Bronckart for Versus Production, Illegal premiered in May at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

The jury said it had chosen the film for its “direction, the contemporary and universal nature of the story and the astonishing performance of actress Anne Coesens.”

It will be released in Belgium on October 6th by O’Brother Distribution and in France on October 13th byHaut et Court.

Films Distribution is handling international sales.