Xavier Beauvois’ Cannes Grand Prize winner has been selected to represent France at the Academy Awards.

Of Gods And Men (Des Hommes Et Des Dieux) was chosen by the French selection committee, consisting of Florence Malraux, president of the Avance sur Recettes Commission; Thierry Frémaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival; Alain Terzian, president of the Académie des Césars; actress Jeanne Moreau; and directors Philippe Pollet-Villard, Costa-Gavras, and Régis Wargnier.

Of Gods And Men, a drama about Cistercian monks confronted by fundamentalists in Algeria, has been sold widely by Wild Bunch, including to Sony for US and Australia/New Zealand, Artificial Eye for UK, NonStop Entertainment for Scandinavia, Golem for Spain and NFP Distribution for Germany.

The final candidates in the Best Foreign-Language Film category will be decided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and announced in January, with the 83rd Oscars ceremony held the following month.

Last year, Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet from France was among the five nominees.