A Tamil film, Koozhangal (Pebbles), has been selected as India’s official entry to Oscars 2022.
The film, directed by PS Vinothraj, will compete in the International Feature Film category.
A jury of the Film Federation of India, headed by director Shaji N. Karun, selected Koozhangal from a list of 14 films. The list included films like Sherni, Sardar Udham, Mandela, Chello Show and Nayattu.
Koozhangal tells the story of an alcoholic man, whose wife has left him, and his son. The man and his son embark on a journey to bring his wife back.
The committee is set up by the Film Federation of India to pick the movie that will best represent Indian cinema at the Oscars. The Academy Awards for 2021 will be held on March 27, 2022, in Los Angeles.
“In the centenary year of Satyajit Ray, it is rather poetic that we had the screening in Calcutta. Ray was the torchbearer of Indian content to the world and we have selected a film that epitomises Indian-ness and its varied culture,” said Karun.
The screening was held at Bijali cinema in Bhowanipore. The jury had actors, cinematographers, editors and filmmakers. “The selection was unanimous,” said Firdausul Hasan, vice-president of the federation.