Irish director Juanita Wilson has been shortlisted in the 16th annual directors “One to Watch” list by Variety. The Oscar nominee received her place on the list for her new feature film “As If I Am Not There”.

The prestigious list is drafted annually by industry insiders, editors, reporters and Variety critics.

Based on the novel by Slavenka Drakulic, the film tells the story of a young Sarajevo woman, whose life is shattered when a soldier walks into her home and  forces her to pack up all her belongings and abandon her life. Held captive in a warehouse with other woman from her village, she quickly learns that survival means more than staying alive.

Juanita was recently award the Silver Pyramid Award at the Cairo International Film Festival for “As if I am Not There” which is due to have it’s North American premiere at the upcoming Palm Springs International Film Festival next month.

The other shortlisted directors include Richard Ayoade for ‘Submarine’; Daniel Espinosa for ‘Snabba Cash’ and ‘Safe House’; Ed Gass-Donnelly for ‘Small Town Murder Songs’; Elgin James for ‘Little Birds’; Patrick Lussier for ‘Drive Angry’; Baran Bo Odar for ‘The Silence’; Andre Ovredal for ‘The Troll Hunter’; Denis Villeneueve for ‘Incendies’ and Jason Winer for ‘Arthur’.