‘Polyxeni’ is Greece’s selection for Oscars Best Foreign Film

Greece has announced it has selected Polyxeni, directed by Dora Masklavanou, as its official contender for the Oscars in the best foreign-language category for 2019.

Polyxeni tells the story of an orphaned girl who is adopted by a family of Greeks in Constantinople.

The film follows the life of Polyxeni, who as a 12-year-old girl is separated from her younger brother, and then embarks on a new life, receives an education, comes of age and falls in love.

However, 15 years later, she finds herself at the centre of a scheme created by people after her adoptive father left her a large inheritance and Polyxeni has to manage his huge fortune, which brings with it many challenges.

Polyxeni, Masklavanou's third feature, was released in Greece in December 2017. Earlier this year, it was awarded the Grand Prix at the Tetouan International Mediterranean Film Festival.

Greece's films have been nominated five times at the Oscars, most recently in 2010 for Yorgos Lanthimos' Dogtooth. But a Greek film has not yet won a statuette.