"Leviathan," a Russian film that had been prohibited from public screenings due to its liberal use of expletives, could represent the country at the 2015 Academy Awards in the U.S., Interfax reported, citing a source in Russia's selection committee.
Directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev, "Leviathan" tells of the story of a provincial man who endeavors to keep his property safe from a corrupt mayor.
Zvyaginstev, one of the country's most acclaimed directors, struggled to obtain screening permits at home because of the film's frequently obscene language, which is now forbidden by legislation that came into force on June 1. Meanwhile, the film has flourished abroad.
The Culture Ministry finally gave the film a screening permit in June after it won in the best screenplay category at the Cannes Film Festival and was also a nominated for the Palme d'Or award. The film, whose expletives are bleeped out in its Russian version, now bears an "18+" warning.
