The Film Federation of India announced on Wednesday that “2018: Everyone is a Hero,” a survival drama based on the Kerala floods that year, will be officially nominated for the 2024 Academy Awards. The 16-member jury unanimously chose the Malayalam film to represent the country, noted filmmaker and selection committee chairman Girish Kasaravalli told a press conference.
Kasaravali, a well-known voice in the Kannada film industry, said that they had a long discussion before choosing 2018 to represent India at the 2024 Academy Awards. “It was a pan-India selection. We were happy with 16 members and we watched 22 movies in a week. It was a tough decision as there were so many good movies and we had to analyze to find out which movie There are better merits. In the end, we decided in 2018: everyone is a hero,” said the filmmaker.
Kasaravali said the film, directed by Jude Anthony Joseph, highlighted “the spirit, the situation and the people of India”. “The film is about a disaster that Kerala faced in 2018. It represents not just India but the disasters that are happening around the world. The film is also cinematically and technically brilliant,” he said . “This information is related to climate change and so-called development,” he added.
Star Tovino Thomas, who is currently attending the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam, where he won the 2018 Best Asian Actor trophy, said it was time for the team to celebrate. “I was very happy last night and even more happy when I woke up to the exciting news that our 2018 film has been selected as India’s official entry (Oscar). We work in extreme conditions but everything It all paid off. The film is now getting international acclaim. It’s fantastic,” Thomas told PTI over phone from Amsterdam.
“I’m not celebrating this moment with the team. But it definitely needs to be celebrated,” he added.
Joseph said the news was a pleasant surprise. He added: “It’s great to have our film competing at the Oscars as the country’s official entry.”
Ravi Kottarakara, president of FFI, said that there are as many as 22 films, including Hindi films “Kerala Story”, “Rocky Orani Ki Prem” Kahaani”, “Gadhar 2”, “Zwigato”, “Vaccine War”, “Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway” and “Balagam” (Telugu), “Vaalvi” (Marathi), Baaplyok ( Marathi) and August 16, 1947 (Tamil) are also on the shortlist. But the jury unanimously chose 2018.
The 2018 film also stars Tanvi Ram, Kunchako Boban and Aparna Balamurali. In June, the makers claimed that the film had crossed Rs. It grossed Rs 200 crore at the box office and became the highest-grossing Malayalam film.
The FFI, an autonomous body of producers, exhibitors, studio owners and distributors, decided that India would officially enter the Oscars in the Best International Film category. Last year, the two Indian films “RRR” and “The Elephant Whisperer” that won the Best Original Song and Best Documentary Short awards were directly sent to the Oscars by their producers, but India’s official entry into the international film category was Guji Latin film Chhello Show (last year). Film Festival), failed to make the final five nominations. The last Indian film to make it to the top five was Aamir Khan’s “Lagaan” in 2001.
The 96th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles.
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