The Czech Republic has officially selected Pepa Lubojacki’s If Pigeons Turned to Gold as its official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The deeply personal debut documentary might just secure cinematic history for the Czech Republic at the upcoming Academy Awards. This competitive Oscar category celebrates extraordinary foreign filmmaking, elevating authentic global voices that tackle universal human struggles.

Exploring the production backstory exposes how a raw family portrait evolved into a national Oscar contender.

According to the recent CFTA press release, the Czech Republic selected Pepa Lubojacki's debut documentary, If Pigeons Turned To Gold, as its entry for the 2027 Oscars Best International Feature Film category. Shot over 5 years, the documentary captured the director, Pepa Lubojacki’s brother, and cousins as addiction destroyed their lives. The Czech Film and Television Academy commended the experimental approach for exploring generational suffering without sentimentality.

“Using the DIY aesthetics, the director interlinks diary shots, stylized memories, live photos, as well as graphic collages, and without any sentiment tries to understand the reasons for their fall and also the impact of it on the whole family,” the Czech Academy said. The bold visual aesthetic offered an unvarnished look into personal survival within modern Europe.

By blending DIY iPhone video with artificial intelligence, the filmmaker created an unforgettable visual experience. The narrative wove together real memories and surreal commentary to examine how families navigate deep emotional pain. As the CFTA press release reads, this unique approach captured the attention of the Czech Film and Television Academy members.

Oscars 2026 Winners List: 'One Battle After Another' wins Best Picture; Ryan Coogler Scripts History

An impressive global festival run successfully paved the way toward major international distribution deals.

Produced by Claw Films alongside Czech Television, If Pigeons Turned to Gold earned early honors at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival. Following its Berlin premiere, the feature screened across major global festivals in Istanbul, Sydney, and Karlovy Vary. Following its screening in the Docu Best section at the DocuDays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, the movie celebrated its Australian premiere at the 73rd Sydney Film Festival on June 10, 2026.

Shortly after, it joined the Special Screenings lineup at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where audiences viewed it between July 8 and July 10, 2026. Split Screen acquired international rights, while a domestic theatrical release is set for 24 September 2026. Directed, written, and edited by Pepa Lubojacki, the film features a core cast including David Richter, Pepa Lubojacki, David Lubojacki, and Marco Arnone.

Produced by Klára Mamojková and Wanda Kaprálová, the project features cinematography by Lubojacki and Tomáš Šťastný, accompanied by a musical score composed by Adam Matej. By selecting If Pigeons Turned to Gold, the Czech Republic submitted a bold, experimental debut documentary for the Oscar race (2027).

Fact Check: Is Will Smith Hosting the Oscars 2027? Is He Still Banned?

What do you think about watching If Pigeons Turned to Gold? Let us know in the comments.