Abramorama sets Oscar-qualifying run for 2DIE4 after 30-city IMAX launch

Abramorama will open 2DIE4 at Laemmle Newhall in Los Angeles on June 19, starting an Academy Award-qualifying run after the racing documentary finished a 30-city IMAX engagement across North America. The release could make the 61-minute film an unusual awards contender in the 2026–27 documentary race. Why it matters: - 2DIE4 is moving from a specialized IMAX rollout into an Academy Award-qualifying theatrical run. - The film’s 61-minute runtime makes it an outlier in the Documentary Feature race, where most nominees run much longer. - The release could give the Abdala Brothers one of the rare short-form documentaries positioned for awards-season attention. What happened: - AB2 Media Group’s Abramorama, in association with Theorem Media, announced the qualifying theatrical run on June 18, 2026. - 2DIE4 opens June 19 at Laemmle Newhall in Los Angeles before expanding to more North American theaters. - The film follows a 30-city IMAX engagement across North America that ran from April 16 through late May. - The IMAX rollout followed sold-out preview screenings in Miami and Daytona during the IMSA Rolex Daytona 24 race. The details: - 2DIE4 is the debut feature from Brazilian filmmakers Salomão and André Abdala, known as the Abdala Brothers. - The documentary follows Brazilian racing champion Felipe Nasr as he competes in a real race. - The film uses first-person sound design and cinematography to place viewers inside Nasr’s cockpit. - The production took seven years to complete. - The film won the 2025 Motor Sports Film Award for Best Documentary Feature. - The trailer passed 1 million views before the theatrical debut. - Abramorama calls the IMAX rollout its first wide IMAX release. - The film was captured with Panavision’s Sphero 65 lenses and an “Expanded Anamorphic” technique developed with Panavision. - The release package includes Full IMAX Expanded Format, Immersive Audio Mix and a 4K DCP with 5.1 stereo audio. - The film runs 61 minutes and includes English with some subtitles. - The press materials say the format helped achieve IMAX’s towering aspect ratio for the first time in the format’s history. - Karol Martesko-Fenster, CEO and president of AB2 Media Group / Abramorama, said the Oscar-qualifying run follows the strong IMAX audience response. - Douglas Dicconson, CEO and trustee at Theorem Media, said the Abdala Brothers have combined social media reach, audience development and format innovation. - Watch the official theatrical trailer . Between the lines: - The release is designed to turn a format-driven IMAX event into a broader awards-season campaign. - The film’s short runtime and IMAX pedigree make it unconventional for the documentary category, which may help it stand out. - Abramorama is using 2DIE4 to extend a run of documentary releases that have found theatrical traction. - The company also cites recent releases including The Last Class, Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It, Werner Herzog’s Ghost Elephants, Shuffle, Group and Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere. What’s next: - 2DIE4 will expand beyond Laemmle Newhall into additional North American theaters. - The release positions the film for consideration in the 2026–27 awards season. - Abramorama and Theorem Media are likely to continue promoting the film’s theatrical and IMAX credentials as the campaign widens. The bottom line: - 2DIE4 is trying to convert a successful IMAX event into an Oscar-season contender, with a short runtime and technical innovation as its biggest differentiators.