Last Film Show shortlisted for Oscars in Best International Feature Film category

India's Gujarati film Chhello Show, titled Last Film Show in English, has made it to the Oscars in the Best International Film category shortlist. India's another film RRR is still in the wishlist for nominations in other categories.

The foreign film category shortlist includes 15 movies: Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths along with Holy Spider (Denmark), All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany), Saint Omer (France), Corsage (Austria), EO (Poland), Return to Seoul (Cambodia), Decision to Leave (South Korea), Close (Belgium) and Argentina, 1985 (Argentina). Joyland from Pakistan is their first film to be shortlisted in the category.

Directed by Pan Nalin, Last Film Show is a coming-of-age drama that stars Bhavin Rabari, Bhavesh Shrimali, Richa Meena, Dipen Raval and Paresh Mehta. Child actor Rahul Koli died of cancer in October.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday announced shortlists in 10 categories for the 95th Oscars, including documentary feature, international film, makeup and hairstyling, score, original song, sound, visual effects and shorts. Nominations for all categories will be announced on Jan. 24. The 95th Oscars will be held on March 12.

The Last Film Show director had earlier told Hindustan Times about the film being India's official entry for the Oscars, “I was speechless and surprised. There was so much hype about a lot of other films like every year when there’s the Oscar season. I was focussing on holding screenings and previews, with just one wish, to make maximum people see the movie. We were trying to figure out a way to translate the success and popularity that the film got internationally in India, and get the attention, when this announcement was made, and it changed everything for us.”

On the film being picked for Oscars over RRR, he had said, “I was disappointed and disheartened that people were jumping to conclusions without watching it. I can’t even blame people, they have not seen the movie. We have done zero lobbying. We have sold the movie in the same way, to a studio in Japan. But for people it has to make commercial sense. Many of the people think whatever is most popular is going to get an Oscar.”

-HindustanTimes