India has submitted Pan Nalin’s “Last Film Show” to the Oscars for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category, passing over the global sensation “RRR,” the flamboyant musical directed by SS Rajamouli that has raised an impressive $11.3 million at the North American box office this year.
Instead, the country’s selection committee opted for “Last Film Show,” a coming-of-age drama that drew comparisons to “Cinema Paradiso” after its premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. In the vein of “The Fabelmans” by Steven Spielberg and “Armageddon Time” by James Gray, it is a semi-autobiographical work based on moments from the childhood of its director.
The decision was reminiscent of the 2013 choice to send “The Good Road” to the Oscars over “The Lunchbox,” which had been considered an almost certain candidate had it been chosen.
India has submitted 54 films to the Oscars since 1957, earning three nominations with no wins. He hasn’t been nominated since 2001’s “Lagaan.”
“RRR” has been widely picked as a strong contender in the international category this year, along with films including Austria’s “Corsage,” Belgium’s “Close,” Germany’s “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Poland and South Korea. “Decision to leave”.
To this point, more than 50 countries have submitted films to the international Oscar race. The Academy authorizes a selection committee from each eligible country to choose one film for consideration, with other films from that country ineligible in the category.
In response to the “RRR” snub, Dylan Marchetti, president of the film’s U.S. distributor Variance Films, issued the following statement encouraging Oscar voters to consider “RRR” in all major categories:
Over the past six months, we have seen the joy that the SS Rajamouli RRR has brought to global audiences.
We have seen that the film grossed over $140 million worldwide to become one of the highest grossing Indian films of all time and become the first film in history to trend globally on Netflix for over 14 weeks. .
We’ve seen the film fill theaters with enthusiastic audiences months after its initial release, including at the historic TCL Chinese IMAX theater in Hollywood, where it will screen next Friday to a sold-out audience at one of the nation’s largest theaters in only 15 minutes.
More importantly, we’ve heard fans from all over the world tell us that they think this is one of the best movies of the year, from any nation. We agree.
We proudly invite the Academy to consider SS Rajamouli’s RRR in all categories:
BEST FILM
BEST DIRECTOR: SS Rajamoul
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: SS Rajamouli (Story by V. Vijayendra Prasad)
BEST ACTOR: NT Rama Rao Jr.
BEST ACTOR: Ram Charan
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Ajay Devgn
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Alia Bhatt
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – “Naatu Naatu”
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MM Keeravaani
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST MOVIE EDITING
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLE
BETTER SOUND
BETTER VISUAL EFFECTS
A special screening, followed by a question and answer session with director SS Rajamouli, will be held on Friday, September 30, at the TCL Chinese Theater Imax.
