Italian film Terraferma about a perilous Mediterranean crossing by migrants from North Africa has been proposed for an Oscar nomination, Italy’s film association Anica said.

The film tells the story of an African migrant who survives a shipwreck and the family of fishermen on a tiny Italian island that looks after her.

The Eritrean heroine of the film, Timnit, is the real-life survivor of an actual crossing in which several of the migrants on board died.

The film won the Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival this month.

The Academy will now have to consider the nomination for Best Foreign Film in order for it to appear on the shortlist. That selection is due to be announced on January 24 and the awards ceremony will be on February 26.

Following the revolution in Tunisia and the upheaval in Libya this year, more than 50,000 migrants and refugees have arrived this year on the Pelagian Archipelago including the island of Lampedusa – Italy’s southernmost point.