The stage is all set for the 96th edition of the prestigious Oscar Awards, whose winners will be announced on 10th March 2024 in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Before the winners are announced on this date, the final nominees will be announced on 23rd January. A few hours back, the Academy revealed the eagerly awaited list of the shortlisted films in ten categories including ‘International Feature Film’ and ‘Documentary Feature Film’, amongst others.
All Indian movie buffs might already be aware that India’s official entry in the ‘International Feature Film’ category was the Malayalam language survival drama ‘2018’. Moreover, the relatively small, low budget yet brilliantly crafted film ‘12th Fail’ was also sent as an independent entry.
However, both these Indian films were unable to crack the 2024 Oscars shortlist for the ‘International Feature Film’ category. While other international films such as ‘The Promised Land’ (Denmark), ‘The Zone of Interest’ (UK), and ‘Fallen Leaves’ (Finland) have made the cut.
But Indian cinephiles shouldn’t get disheartened because one internationally acclaimed India-set film has made it to another Oscars shortlist category. We are talking about Nisha Pahuja’s documentary film ‘To Kill a Tiger’, which has been included in the Oscar shortlists for the ‘Documentary Feature Film’ category. The film has already bagged several international awards at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Palm Springs Festival.
‘To Kill a Tiger’ is an intense and hard-hitting documentary film which revolves around a Jharkhand based impoverished farmer Ranjit, who goes against all odds to seek justice for the brutal gang rape of his thirteen-year-old daughter. Ranjit and his family must undertake the extremely arduous journey and a 14-month long legal fight against the preparators of the heinous crime.
Although the Indian documentary ‘To Kill a Tiger’ has moved one step closer to the coveted golden trophy, there is no dearth of good films in this category. Other films competing in the ‘Documentary Feature Film’ category include ‘American Symphony’ and ‘Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie’, etc. So, the competition is tough, but this Indian film has still got a good chance.
Here is the full list of the Oscar 2024 shortlists for the ‘International Feature Film’ and the ‘Documentary Feature Film’ categories:
International Feature Film
Amerikatsi (Armenia)
The Monk and the Gun (Bhutan)
The Promised Land (Denmark)
Fallen Leaves (Finland)
The Taste of Things (France)
The Teachers’ Lounge (Germany)
Godland (Iceland)
Io Capitano (Italy)
Perfect Days (Japan)
Totem (Mexico)
The Mother of All Lies (Morocco)
Society of the Snow (Spain)
Four Daughters (Tunisia)
20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine)
The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom)
Documentary Feature Film
American Symphony
Apolonia, Apolonia
Beyond Utopia
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
In the Rearview
Stamped from the Beginning
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
A Still Small Voice
32 Sounds
To Kill a Tiger (From India)
20 Days in Mariupol