Hungary has selected “Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time” as its entry for Best International Film at the 2021 Academy Awards. Variety broke the news.

Written and directed by Lili Horvat, the drama tells the story of Márta (Natasa Stork), a 40-year-old neurosurgeon who sacrifices her successful career in the U.S. and moves back to Budapest to make a life with the man she loves. “But she waits for him at the Liberty Bridge in vain — he does not appear at their rendezvous. Márta starts to search for him desperately, but when she finally finds him, the love of her life claims that they have never met before,” the source hints.

“It’s important that our heroine doesn’t navigate herself into the risky trials of this inner journey at the typical younger, [idealistic] age, but while approaching 40 — when a person has much more to lose. I see some great sovereignty in this,” Horvat told us. “There’s an inner space in all of us where processes occur that are undetectable on the surface — a secret life where we weave plans and dreams relating to ourselves. This is the real terrain of the film: insight, imagination, the realm of intuition.”

“Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time” made its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and has picked up honors at the Chicago Film Festival and Warsaw Film Festival, among other fests.

Recent entries in the Best International Film race include Ruthy Priba’s Shira Haas-starrer “Asia” and Maria Sødahl’s “Hope,” the story of a 43-year-old woman who has three months left to live. The former is representing Israel and the latter Norway.

Oscar nominations will be announced March 15. The ceremony is slated to take place April 25.