Acclaimed Maltese language film Luzzu has been chosen as Malta's Oscar contender for Best International Feature Film in the 94th Academy Awards.

The Malta Academy Selection Committee chose Alex Camilleri's feature as its entry to the awards, to take place on March 27 next year. 

Luzzu tells the fictional story of Jesmark, a struggling fisherman forced to turn his back on generations of tradition and risk everything by entering the world of black market fishing to provide for his wife and newborn baby.

Written and directed by Camilleri, it stars newcomer Jesmark Scicluna, a fisherman from Siġġiewi, who has already won the Sundance Film Festival's Special Jury Award for his performance. 

It has also won awards including the Grand Prize in the Japanese International Cinema Festival. 

The Best International Film contenders will be shortlisted to 15 finalists on December 21 and whittled down to the final five Oscar Nominees on February 8.

The Malta Academy Selection Committee is jointly spearheaded by the Malta Producers' Association and the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association.

The selection panel consists of 11 local individuals coming from a variety of diverse backgrounds related to or within the industry.

Skill sets range from acting, directing, producing and cinematography as well expertise with Computer Generated Images (CGI), to film critiquing and academia.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invites every country to submit one film to compete in the Best International Feature Film category.

The awards will take place on March 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.