Riders, Dominik Mence's road movie about a couple of small-town friends who embark on a journey of personal discovery with two mopeds, is Slovenia's nominee for the foreign language Oscar.

The film premiered to critical acclaim at the Sarajevo Film Festival last year and picked up a nomination for best new film in the forward future category at this year's Beijing International Film Festival.

Mence's debut feature garnered international attention and it is right that it continues its bold journey around the world, the Slovenian Federation of Filmmakers' Guilds said in announcing the nomination.

Set in 1999, the film follows two protagonists as they travel through recently independent Slovenia and Croatia. On route they pick up a runaway woman and an old biker.

The story focuses on a treacherous journey on which problems lurk behind every turn in the road, creating situations in which the protagonists are challenged to sever their ties with their old conceptions of the world.

Riders picked up three awards at the Festival of Slovenian Film last year, including for best leading actor and best editing.