Spain selects silent movie to compete for Oscar

MADRID (AP) — Spain has selected the silent, black-and-white movie "Blancanieves" (Snow White) by director Pablo Berger as its entry for Best Foreign Language Film at next year's Oscars.

Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, it tells the story of a young woman who suffers a tormented childhood at the hands of her stepmother and flees her past by joining up with a traveling band of bullfighting dwarves.

Chosen Thursday by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, it stars Spanish actresses Maribel Verdu, Angela Molina and Macarena Garcia.

The U.S. film academy will select finalists for the Oscar next January with the awards announced a month later.

The film will also represent Spain in Mexico's Ariel prizes.

Spain has won four Oscars for best foreign language film.

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