Oscars 2025: Which Nigerian Film will Enter IFF Race?

Stories by Vanessa Obioha

The international race for the 2025 Oscars has already begun with many countries submitting their selections for the International Film Feature (IFF) category.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the organising body of the Oscars, confers the IFF Award annually to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States which contains 50 per cent or more dialogue in a language or languages other than English.

To be eligible, the selected film must include accurate English subtitles, meet certain shooting format standards, and provide proof of theatrical release, among other criteria. These selections are made by the approved selection committee of participating countries. In Nigeria, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) oversees the submission process. This body, comprised of industry experts, is tasked with selecting a film that represents the country on the global stage. It called for entries on August 1 which ended on August 30. The official deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 2, 2024. A shortlist of 15 finalists is scheduled to be announced on December 17, 2024, with the final five nominees announced on January 17, 2025.

While countries like Egypt, Kenya, Spain, and Chile have announced their selections, Nigeria is yet to reveal its contender. Egypt’s selection is ‘Flight 404,’ directed by Hani Khalifa. The film revolves around Ghada (Mona Zaki), a woman who attempts to obtain money for her mother’s sudden emergency surgery while preparing to depart Egypt to perform the Hajj.

Kenya selected ‘Nawi,’ which explores the issue of child marriage in rural Africa.

Spain chose ‘Saturn Return,’ a musical drama film inspired by the legendary Spanish indie rock band Los Planetas. It is directed by Isaki Lacuesta and won Best Spanish Film and Director at the country’s Málaga Festival last March.

Chile, a South American country, settled for ‘In Her Place,’ a crime drama by the filmmaker Maite Alberdi. It is based on the true story of a famous writer who is put on trial for killing her lover and will have its world premiere in competition at San Sebastian before landing on Netflix.

Palestine picked ‘From Ground Zero,’ an anthology of 22 short films shot by filmmakers inside the Gaza Strip during the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as its entry for the 97th Oscar race, while Japan’s pick is Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s ‘Cloud’ which explores the blurring boundaries between real and virtual worlds. It is centred around a young man who resells goods online and in the process, triggers a series of online incidents.

As the deadline for submissions to the Academy draws near, it will be interesting to know which film the NOSC will submit to represent Nigeria. The country is yet to successfully make the shortlist of the IFF. So far, ‘The Milkmaid,’ a 2020 film by Desmond Ovbiagele and C.J. Obasi’s ‘Mami Wata’  were successfully submitted for the 93rd and 96th Oscars but were not nominated.

Will Nigeria find a befitting film to make the shortlist of the 2025 Oscars?

With an array of notable films released in Nigeria this year, the NOSC has several strong contenders to choose from. Under the leadership of the filmmaker Stephanie Linus, the committee seems well-prepared to tackle the challenge, bolstered by new members such as journalist and film critic Victor Akande, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) Ali Nuhu, film producer and director Blessing Egbe, actress Ijeoma Grace Agu, and Co-Founder and Group CEO of Filmhouse Cinemas Kene Okwuosa.

The upcoming days will reveal whether the NOSC will make a selection that could finally propel Nigeria into the coveted shortlist.