Five films have been submitted from Bangladesh for the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. The Oscar Bangladesh Committee will select one of these films to send to the Oscars.
The Oscar Committee of Bangladesh invited for films at the beginning of this month to be submitted for the Best International Language Film category at the 98th Oscars. The last date was 16 September, for submitting films, reports Prothom Alo.
Five films were submitted within the deadline: `Saba,` `Barir Naam Shahana` `Nokshikathar Jomin,` `Priyo Malati,` and `Moyna.` Among these, the film ``Barir Naam Shahana`` will be released in Bangladesh today. `Saba` will be released on 26 September. The other films have been released earlier.
The chairman of the Oscar Committee of Bangladesh is Zahirul Islam, the president of the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies (BFFS). He informed that a selection committee has been formed by the BFFS.
This committee will review the submitted films and nominate one to compete from Bangladesh. He said, "The film will be submitted by those directors and producers who fulfil the eligibility criteria with their work."
This committee received the submitted films yesterday, Thursday afternoon. Zahirul Islam told Prothom Alo, "We will start watching the films individually very soon. The films will also be watched collectively."
"We will start watching and reviewing the films from this Saturday. We want to make the final decision by the 26th. We will submit the film from Bangladesh just a day or two after making the final decision," he added.
The deadline for submitting the film to the Oscar authorities is 31st September. Zahirul Islam said that there are often technical complexities. That’s why they want to submit their films to the Oscars before the deadline.
The shortlist will be announced on 16 December. Later will be announced the names of the 5 nominated films for the Oscars. One of these films will win the Oscar for Best International Film.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on 15 March.
