Pan Nalin’s Gujarati film Chhello Show, also titled Last Film Show in English, is a strong contender for the Oscars, senior officials from agencies that have distributed the film in the US and France have said.

The film, distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the US and Orange Studio in France, was nominated as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards earlier this month.

“We believe that Last Film Show speaks to the heart and soul of cinema, which will be appealing not only to moviegoers in the United States but also Academy members,” said Peter Goldwyn, president, Samuel Goldwyn Films.

“The film is a really strong contender this year, and we’re excited to bring it to American audiences. We are also eager to bring our expertise with Academy Awards campaigns to the release of this title,” he added.

The Danish comedy-drama Another Round, which won Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards in 2021, and Bhutanese drama Lunana: A Yak in The Classroom, which was nominated for Best International Feature Film in 2022, were distributed by the Samuel Goldwyn Films.

The studio acquired the distribution rights of Chhello Show following its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2021.

Kristina Zimmerman, CEO of Orange Studio, the distributor for the film in France, also said that the film had a strong chance of winning at the Oscars.

“Our years of experience tells us that Last Film Show has a huge chance of winning the hearts of moviegoers around the world and especially Academy Award members. We have won over seven Oscars for our films, and we plan to dedicate our total attention to running a successful Oscar campaign in coordination with our partners at Samuel Goldwyn Films for Last Film Show,” Zimmerman said.

Orange Studio, founded in 2007, has backed movies like The Artist, which won five Academy Awards, and The Father, which won two Academy Awards including Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins.

Chhello Show, produced by Roy Kapur Films, Dheer Momaya of Jugaad Motion Pictures, Monsoon Films and Chhello Show LLP, is set to release in Gujarat and select theatres across the nation on October 14. It will be released in Italy on November 24 and Japan on January 20, 2023.