2018 fails to make Oscars shortlist: Director Jude Anthany Joseph apologises; says ‘dream-like journey…'

Director Jude Anthany Joseph expressed his disappointment on social media after his Malayalam- blockbuster ‘2018’ failed to make the Oscars shortlist in the Best International Feature category.

In an Instagram post, Joseph shared a screenshot of the 15 shortlisted films and apologized to his well-wishers and fans of the movie.

In his note, the filmmaker wrote, ‘Greetings, everyone. The Oscar shortlist has been unveiled, and regrettably, our film 2018- Everyone Is A Hero did not secure a spot among the final 15 films out of the 88 international language films from across the globe. I sincerely apologize to all my well-wishers and supporters for disappointing you all. Nevertheless, the opportunity to represent India in this competition has been a dream-like journey that I will cherish for a lifetime.’

He continued, ‘Being the highest-grossing film and the official Indian entry to the Oscars is a rare achievement in any filmmaker’s career. I am grateful to God for choosing me for this extraordinary journey. My heartfelt thanks go to the producers, technicians, artists, and the audience for their tremendous support for our film. A special expression of gratitude to the Film Federation Of India, particularly Sir Ravi Kottarakkara, for their boundless support, love, and for selecting our film as India’s official entry. I express my gratitude to all the Indian filmmakers who supported me on this journey, with special thanks to Pan Nalin, Sidharth Roy Kapoor, Guneet Monga, Rintu Thomas, Ashutosh Gowarikar sir, Resul Pookkutty sir, Anurag Kashyap, Rajamouli sir, Senthi sir and many more. I express my gratitude to all my supporters in Los Angeles and eagerly anticipate the meetings that we have already scheduled.’

Joseph concluded, ‘I extend my best wishes to all the finalists, with a special mention to Sol, my dear friend and the producer of the Armenian film. The inception of the next dream begins today, as the Oscars await, and I am poised to be present. Until we meet, dear Oscar.’

‘2018’ is a disaster drama based on the Kerala floods. The film features well-known figures from the Malayalam-language film industry, such as Tovino Thomas, Kunchako Boban, Lal, and others.

Despite its commercial success, grossing over Rs 200 crore worldwide, some questioned why ‘2018,’ a mainstream blockbuster, was chosen to compete in the highly coveted category, given that most films advancing to the next stage had premiered at prestigious European festivals.

The shortlist for the Best International Feature category includes frontrunners such as Japan’s Perfect Days, Britain’s The Zone of Interest, Finland’s Fallen Leaves, Spain’s Society of the Snow, and in a bit of a surprise, the subcontinent’s The Monk and the Gun, from Bhutan.

Only three Indian films in history have secured nominations in the category formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film – Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan. Last year, Pan Nalin’s Last Film Show made it to the shortlist.

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