Benedek Fliegauf's Forest has been selected as the official Hungarian entry for the 76th Annual Academy Awards in the best foreign language film category.

The five-member jury of the Hungarian Selection Committee for Academy Awards Entry decided on Fliegauf's multi-award winner for "finely balancing stylisation and realism. The film uncompromisingly and with great originality ventures into the secrets of time and the moments within its flow."

Fliegauf's feature directorial debut has already won international recognition. It was awarded the foreign critics' Gene Moskowitz prize at the Hungarian Film Week in early February as well as receiving the Simo Sandor prize for best first film and the best producer prize for Andras Muhi of Inforg Studio.

The film also won the Wolfgang Staudte prize at the Berlinale after screening in the festival's Forum section. Forest also received a special prize of the jury in Lagow, Poland at the Lubuskie Film Summer in June.

The film, which will locally be released by Mokep on September 11, will also make appearances at several forthcoming festivals including the Montreal World Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival, the Athens Opening Nights International Film Festival and the Figueira da Foz International Film Festival.