'Jallikattu,' India's entry to Oscars, is out of the race
Malayalam movie Jallikattu, India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards 2021, has failed to make it to the list of the 15 features that will be competing for a spot in the final five. The fresh shortlist was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on Wednesday. Here are more details on this.
'Jallikattu' beat many big Indian movies to go to Oscars
Jallikattu was picked as the country's official entry to the Oscars from a list of 27 films. They included The Disciple, Shikara, Gunjan Saxena, Chhapaak, AK vs AK, Gulabo Sitabo, Bhonsle, Chhalaang, Shakuntala Devi, Eeb Allay Ooo!, Check Post, Atkan Chatkan, Serious Men, Bulbbul, Kaamyaab, The Sky is Pink, Chintu ka Birthday and Bittersweet.
'Jallikattu' a gritty drama that won widespread praise
Jallikattu (2019) tells the story of Antony Varghese's character, who is a butcher and loses control of a buffalo at a ritual slaughter. The movie is named after the famous bull taming festival prevalent in Tamil Nadu. The film has been directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, and it also features Chemban Vinod Jose, Santhy Balachandran, and Sabumon Abdusamad.
Fifteen movies now vying for the final shortlist
The 15 movies that have made it to the coveted shortlist include Another Round (from Denmark), Dear Comrades! (Russia), Agnieszka Holland's Charlatan (Czech Republic). Other movies that are in contention include Quo Vadis, Aida? (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Two of Us (France), La Llorona (Guatemala), Night of the Kings (Ivory Coast), Hope (Norway), and The Man Who Sold His Skin (Tunisia).
Oscars delayed to April due the pandemic
The final nominations for the Oscars will be announced on March 15. The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, which was earlier scheduled to take place in February, has been postponed to April 25 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
No Indian film ever won an Oscar
No Indian film has ever won an Oscar. In fact, the last Indian movie that made it to the final five in the Best International Feature Film category was Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan in 2001. Earlier, Mother India (1958) and Salaam Bombay (1989) have made it to the top five. Last year, Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy was the official Indian entry to the Oscars.
