Indonesia Selects ‘Sore: Wife From the Future’ for Oscars’ International Feature Race

Indonesia has selected Yandy Laurens’ “Sore: Wife From the Future” as its entry for the best international feature film category at the 98th Academy Awards.

The romantic sci-fi drama, produced by Cerita Films and starring Sheila Dara Aisha and Dion Wiyoko, was confirmed as the country’s submission by the Indonesian Oscar Selection Committee following a plenary meeting.

Based on Laurens’ 2017 web series, the feature follows Jonathan (Wiyoko), a photographer living in Croatia, whose life is disrupted when a woman named Sore (Dara) arrives from the future claiming to be his wife. She carries a mission to alter Jonathan’s fate, setting off a story that intertwines past, present and future, with high emotional stakes as the couple confronts the consequences of their choices.

The Indonesian Oscar Selection Committee is convened annually by the Indonesian Film Producers Association (APROFI) and validated by the Academy to choose one film for consideration. The committee said in a statement that the film’s inclusion underscores Indonesian cinema’s growing ambition to strengthen its presence on the global stage.

Indonesia has submitted films since 1987 but has yet to land a nomination in the category, previously known as best foreign language film. “Sore: Wife From the Future” marks the nation’s 27th submission. Recent selections include Joko Anwar’s “Impetigore” (2020), Kamila Andini’s “Yuni” (2021), Bene Dion’s “Missing Home” (2022), Makbul Mubarak’s “Autobiography” (2023) and “Women from Rote Island” (2024).

The Oscar international feature shortlist will be announced on Dec. 16 and the final five nominees will be announced on Jan. 22.