Costa Rica Aims for Historic Oscar Nominations for Two Film Categories

San José, Costa Rica – For the first time in its history, Costa Rica will aim for nominations for both Best International Feature and Best Documentary at the Oscars. The Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica announced its submissions to Variety, stating that the film ‘The Altar Boy, The Priest, and the Gardener’ will be put forward for both categories.

“This milestone reflects the strength of our storytellers,” said Laura López, CEO of the promotion agency. “Costa Rica’s progressive vision, talented filmmakers, and extraordinary locations make it a powerful place for stories with purpose,” she added.

The documentary tells the story of Anthony Venegas Abarca, who publicly accused ex-priest Mauricio Vázquez Lizano of child sexual abuse in 2018. This case resulted in a landmark 20-year prison sentence and prompted changes to Costa Rican law regarding the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases.

Fernández, the director of the film, explained that addressing such a sensitive topic has been important for Costa Rica. “This documentary has had a unique process, especially for Costa Rica, by addressing a topic that had been silenced and covered up for a long time,” he told Variety. “Costa Rica is one of the few countries where the State adopts the Catholic religion, fostering a culture of permissiveness and abuse of power.”

As Costa Rica’s first-ever submission in multiple Oscar categories, Fernández expressed both excitement and a sense of responsibility. “The goal is to influence legislation in Latin America, similar to what happened in Costa Rica,” he said. “These crimes against children can no longer be forgotten or unpunished.”

In addition to this project, Fernández is working on a new documentary titled ‘Impermanence,’ addressing the high suicide rates in Indigenous communities, specifically in the Talamanca reserve. “Talamanca is one of the most important reserves in Costa Rica, which shares one of the highest rates of suicide in the country,” he said.

‘Impermanence’ is a co-production between Costa Rica’s Biofilms and El Salvador’s Proart, funded by Ibermedia. The film has been accepted into the Works in Progress showcase at Ventana Sur in Buenos Aires. The director hopes this recognition will help complete the film and lead to its release soon.