The Academy has revealed that fifteen movies, including Pakistan’s Joyland, have moved to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category. Saim Sadiq’s directed film keeps making headlines as it becomes the first local entry to advance after being shortlisted. As Joyland gets one step closer to an Oscar nomination
We cut the Last Film Show, an entry from India, along with films from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, South Korea, and Sweden.
Elvis, The Fabelmans, and Living are among the 301 feature films that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared eligible for the 95th Academy Awards on Monday. This number of films is a rise from the 276 pictures that were eligible in 2021 last year and a decrease from 366 in 2020 when the pandemic was at its worst.
“Joyland Advances to Next Round of Voting in International Feature Film Category at 95th Academy Awards”
The Academy includes actors eligible for nomination in the acting categories on its yearly Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 95th Academy Awards.
The list includes critically regarded films like The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Tár in addition to the highest-grossing films of the year, such as Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Top Gun: Maverick.
The author and director had previously said, when discussing the choice of his most recent work, “The opportunity to represent Pakistan at the Oscars with a movie that I firmly believe is an accurate and sympathetic depiction of who we are as a people fills me with gratitude, humility, and excitement. I hope that the happiness and suffering of these characters encourage empathy in Pakistani and international viewers. We shall require a lot of duas and well wishes from our folks in the upcoming months as we travel the path ahead.”
“Despite the existence of numerous outstanding artists across all genres, the director continued, woefully underrepresented in the global art scene is Pakistani art.” But this year has already been different. So I’ll take this opportunity to feel optimistic. I’m grateful to the selecting committee, and I wish Pakistan and Joyland the best of luck!”
The Academy plans to present the 95th Academy Awards on March 12, 2023, and reveal the complete and final list of Oscar nominations on January 24, 2023.