Oscars 2023: Nigerian Selection Committee Calls for Submissions

As filmmakers around the world prepare their Oscar bait for the 95th Academy Awards, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), has called for submissions from Nigerian filmmakers.

The selection exercise, which will be undertaken by the NOSC, is expected to present one film as Nigeria’s entry in the International Feature Film (IFF) Award category.

The window for film submission, according to the Committee, is open from August 15, 2022 to August 31, 2022 on thenosc.org.

The IFF Award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length film produced outside the United States that contains 50 percent or more of non-English dialogue. The Academy, in 2020, approved Pidgin English as a qualification for this category.

After a successful submission of Nigeria’s entry, “The Milkmaid” in 2021, the committee had announced a last-minute cancellation of the country’s participation in the 2022 edition of the Oscars, citing eligibility short-fall of films received as a major issue.

The Academy requires that films that are submitted must meet other criteria, including accurate English subtitles, shooting formats, and theatrical releases – details of which are available on the NOSC website.

Prior to the deadline of October 3, 2022, when the country’s IFF selection is expected to be submitted to the Academy for approval, NOSC members will be shortlisting, screening and voting to present one film that will represent the country at the 95th Oscars.

At the level of AMPAS, a shortlist of 15 finalists will be announced on December 21, with the final five nominees to be announced on January 24, 2023. The 95th Academy Awards will take place on March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles.