Tamil film “Visaranai“, which was India’s official entry to the Oscars in the Foreign Language Film category, has failed to make it to the shortlist of nine movies that will advance in the race.
The crime-thriller, produced by actor-filmmaker Dhanush, is written and directed by Vetrimaaran, was selected by Film Federation of India to represent India at the 89th Academy Awards. India has never won an Oscar in the Foreign Language Film category.
The nine features that were selected out of 85 entries will now advance to the next round of voting. The films that have made it to the list are “Tanna” from Australian, “It’s Only the End of the World” from Canada, “Land of Mine” from Denmark, “Toni Erdmann” from Germany, Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman”, “The King’s Choice” from Norway, Russia’s “Paradise”, “A Man Called Ove” from Sweden and “My Life as a Zucchini” from Switzerland. This shortlist will be winnowed down to the category’s five nominees by specially invited committees in New York.
The last Indian film that made it to the final five nominees at the Oscars was Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Lagaan”, “Mother India” and “Salaam Bombay” are the only other two Indian films to have made it to the top five besides Deepa Mehta’s “Water”, which was a Canadian entry.
Best Foreign Language Film category was first introduced in 1956 for the 29th Academy Awards. In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the Academy has created a complete playlist of acceptance speeches and a poster gallery of all the Foreign Language Film Oscar winners.
Nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 24, with the main ceremony slated to take place on Sunday, February 26.
Watch the trailer here: