The list of 15 films eligible for the Best International Feature Film award at the Oscars has been announced. However, there has been discussion about the absence of the film Lost Ladies, which was sent by India for the Oscars. The film, directed by Kiran Rao, was India’s official entry for the Oscars by the Film Federation of India (FFI). However, many claimed that Payal Kapadia’s film All We Imagine as Light was a better option.
The elimination of Lost Ladies from the Oscar race has caused widespread disappointment among the audience. Many have criticized the Film Federation of India on social media. Film director Hansal Mehta and others have also expressed their displeasure over this.
Hansal Mehta’s Reaction
Hansal Mehta shared the shortlist for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards on the platform X. He sarcastically wrote, “Film Federation of India has done it again! Their film selection rate has been truly ‘perfect’ over the years!”
Many users supported Hansal’s opinion on this. One wrote, “Missing Indian films!” While another user commented, mentioning Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen and Ritesh Batra’s Lunchbox, reminding us that FFI did not select these films for the Oscars either.
Other Films Included in the Shortlist
The shortlist of 15 films includes films from countries like France, Brazil, Canada, and the UK. British-Indian director Sandhya Suri’s film Santosh is among them, representing the UK.
Questions About the Selection Process in India
The Film Federation of India had selected Lost Ladies from 29 films in September. These included Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal, the Malayalam National Award-winning Autumn, and Cannes winner All We Imagine as Light. However, the controversy started even before the selection of Lost Ladies. Now, questions are being raised about the selection process of the Film Federation of India, as the film did not make it to the Oscar shortlist.
