Thailand Selects Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s ‘9 Temples to Heaven’ for Oscars International Feature Film Category

Thailand has selected Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “9 Temples to Heaven” as its submission for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The announcement positions the film to compete through the Oscars’ international selection and eligibility process, a pathway designed to recognize feature-length films produced outside the United States.

Weerasethakul, who previously won the Palme d’Or, produced “9 Temples to Heaven.” The film is described by the trade publication as a road movie that mixes comic elements with spiritual themes. That blend of tone and subject matter is expected to be part of how international voters and Academy members assess the work during the awards season.

The film first debuted in Cannes in May, entering the international festival circuit ahead of its wider release timeline. After the Cannes premiere, “9 Temples to Heaven” is now set to reach North American audiences through its scheduled appearance at the New York Film Festival, which is expected to take place this fall.

The New York Film Festival screening will serve as the film’s North American premiere, The Hollywood Reporter reports. For distributors, exhibitors, and critics, festival premieres often function as a credibility and visibility boost, particularly for international titles that may later secure theatrical bookings or streaming partnerships in the United States.

The Oscars submission also places additional attention on the film’s production context and eligibility requirements, since only one country’s selection is made for each Oscars international category. While the Academy’s rules can narrow the pool through release and format requirements, countries generally use national selection decisions to highlight a single standout title for the awards process.

In addition to its awards prospects, “9 Temples to Heaven” carries the visibility advantages that come with participation in both major festivals and the Oscars pathway. The Cannes-to-New York timeline also underscores how filmmakers can use successive international showcases to build word-of-mouth and professional coverage prior to awards voting.

The next steps for the film will depend on how the Academy evaluates international submissions and which titles advance in the category’s multi-stage process. Meanwhile, the New York Film Festival screening this fall will likely shape the early North American critical conversation around the movie, including how audiences respond to its comic and spiritual structure.

For now, Thailand’s selection indicates that the country’s national film representatives are placing Weerasethakul’s latest work at the center of the international awards conversation, with the Cannes debut and New York premiere serving as immediate milestones for public and industry attention.