The graduation film It Will Rain (2022) reached the finals of the 50th edition of Student Academy Awards (the Student Oscars) in the Narrative (fiction) category. The film was directed by Amir Zaza; the screenplay is by Zeynep Dülger and Amir Zaza.

It Will Rain tells the story of brothers Nawras and Ward. When they are unjustly detained in a hellish Syrian prison after protests, the end of their lives seems imminent. Miraculously, Nawras is released from prison. This leaves him with a debilitating dilemma: should he stay to fight against injustice in Syria or should he flee his homeland?  

Together with seven other film productions from international film schools, It Will Rain has a chance of winning a gold, silver or bronze medal in the Narrative category. Mid-September it will be known whether It Will Rain actually wins a medal. An official ceremony in October will then announce who came first, second and third.

The last time students of the Netherlands Film Academy won a Student Academy Award was in 2021. Back then, Milou Gevers received the award for her graduation documentary Why didn’t you stay for me? Earlier, director Marit Weerheijm also won the award for her film Grey is also a colour (2017) and Mike van Diem for his film Alaska (1990).

Press Release Student Academy Awards (2023)