Italy’s 2026 Oscars campaign is officially underway, and The Spiral is at the center of it. Paolo Strippoli’s latest drama has been chosen as Italy’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards, giving the filmmaker one of the highest-profile boosts of his career and placing the Venice-premiering title firmly on the global awards radar.
The selection of The Spiral signals more than a national endorsement. It highlights Italy’s continued appetite for bold, emotionally charged cinema that can travel internationally, connect with Academy voters, and compete in one of the most closely watched Oscar races of the year.
The Spiral becomes Italy’s official Oscars submission
Italian cinema guild Anica oversaw the committee that selected The Spiral from a shortlist of 21 eligible films. The final lineup reportedly included several notable contenders from the 2026 festival circuit, making the decision especially significant in a competitive year for Italian film.
The committee praised the movie as a fresh genre-leaning work from a young director whose early career has already attracted strong attention from both audiences and critics in Italy and abroad. That positioning could help The Spiral stand out in the Best International Feature race, where distinctive directorial voices often gain traction.
The voting panel included:
- Giorgio Carlo Brugnoni
- Cristina Comencini
- Federica Lucisano
- Francesco Melzi D’Eril
- Nick Vivarelli
For Italy, the choice also reflects a broader confidence in contemporary filmmakers who blend arthouse prestige with accessible emotional stakes.
What The Spiral is about
The Spiral, known in Italian as L’Estranea, is a drama built around a destabilizing family revelation. The story follows a woman who arrives at her daughter’s apartment during a storm to confess a lie—one powerful enough to shake the family’s foundation and permanently alter their relationship.
That tightly wound premise gives the film a psychological intensity that can appeal to both festival audiences and awards voters. Family secrets, moral reckoning, and emotional fallout remain potent themes in international cinema, especially when paired with a contained, tension-driven setting.
The film stars:
- Jasmine Trinca
- Romana Maggiora Vergano
- Adriano Giannini
- Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
Jasmine Trinca’s involvement adds further prestige. She is widely respected on the European film circuit, and her lead performance could become one of the key talking points as The Spiral moves through the awards season conversation.
Paolo Strippoli’s rising profile
The Oscars selection marks another major milestone for Paolo Strippoli, who continues to build momentum as one of Italy’s notable emerging filmmakers. The Spiral is his fourth feature following A Classic Horror Story (2021), Flowing (2022), and The Holy Boy (2025).
Strippoli has developed a reputation for blending genre textures with psychological and emotional depth. That creative identity may have played a major role in Italy’s decision, particularly in a year when the Academy remains receptive to films that push beyond straightforward drama and offer a more singular cinematic voice.
Why the film could connect with Academy voters
Several elements work in The Spiral’s favor:
- Festival pedigree: It premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival, one of the world’s most influential launchpads for awards contenders.
- Strong cast: The ensemble brings international credibility and dramatic weight.
- Emotional accessibility: Family conflict is universal, even when rooted in a distinctly Italian context.
- Author-driven appeal: Strippoli represents a newer generation of filmmakers, something that can energize an Oscar campaign.
Production, release date, and international sales
The Spiral is led by producers Marina Marzotto and Mattia Oddone for Rome-based Propaganda, alongside Rai Cinema. The project is also an international co-production involving Paris-based Kazak Productions, Belgium’s Tarantula, and Bari-based Dinamo Film.
That multinational backing could prove helpful as the film expands its international footprint during awards season. In terms of distribution, 01 Distribution is set to release the movie in Italy on October 18, while Le Pacte is handling international sales.
For Oscar hopefuls, timing matters. An autumn release can keep a title fresh in the minds of critics, industry voters, and audiences as the awards corridor intensifies.
What this means for Italy’s Oscars chances
Italy has one of the richest histories in the Best International Feature category, but recent wins have been harder to come by. The country last took home the prize in 2014 with Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty. Since then, Italian submissions have remained relevant but have not reclaimed the same level of Oscar dominance associated with earlier decades.
With The Spiral, Italy appears to be betting on a film that feels contemporary rather than traditional—one that speaks to modern arthouse sensibilities while preserving the emotional and thematic ambition often associated with major European cinema.
Whether The Spiral secures a nomination will depend on several factors, including campaign visibility, critical momentum, and how crowded the international race becomes. Still, the Venice launch, the cast, and Strippoli’s emerging reputation give the film a strong foundation.
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Final takeaway
The Spiral has quickly become one of the most talked-about Italian films of the 2026 awards season, and its selection as Italy’s official Oscars entry gives Paolo Strippoli a major international platform. With a compelling premise, a high-caliber cast, and strong festival credentials, The Spiral now heads into the Best International Feature race as a serious contender worth watching.
For viewers tracking the road to the Academy Awards, The Spiral is more than a national submission—it is a sign of where Italian cinema is heading next.
