Oscar Approves Committee for Nollywood Movies for Film Prize

Finally, Nollywood might get a shot a international and critically acclaimed movie awards, Oscar, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), has approved a twelve-man committee of Nollywood stakeholders, the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC), for consideration of Nollywood movies at the world’s most prestigious prizes for film.

“This is a great opportunity for Nigeria to have a voice in the international film arena”, Chineze Anyaene, film-maker and committee chairperson said in a statement.

The NOSC comprises twelve Nollywood professionals who include Chineze Anyaene, Ngozi Okafor, Olumide Amure, Ramsey Nouah, Kene Mkparu, Emeka Mba, Chioma Ude, Akin Salami, Mildred Okwo, Biola Alabi, Charles Novia and Shaibu Husseini.

According to Academy rules, the members will consider submissions on seven criteria, which are: story, direction, acting, cinematography, sound, music and universal theme.

Every Nollywood movie selected each year will compete with movies from eighty-five (85) other countries for the coveted Best Foreign Language Film Award. Academy members will then pick a shortlist of five foreign language pictures ahead of the awards ceremony.

Each year, countries with an approved selection committee may submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award Oscar; only 5 films are chosen from all international submissions for Academy members to cast their votes and choose a winning foreign language film.