Yes, its official. And it was expected. Indian’s official entry to this year’s Oscar Award in the Foreign Language Film Category was Marathi film Harishchandrachi Factory. Sixty five films had originally qualified in the category.
The nine films which have been shortlisted for the next round are…
Argentina – El Secreto de Sus Ojos (Director – Juan Jose Campanella)
Australia – Samson & Delilah (Warwick Thornton )
Bulgaria – The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner (Stephan Komandarev )
France – Un Prophète – (Jacques Audiard )
Germany – The White Ribbon – ( Michael Haneke )
Israel – Ajami – ( Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani )
Kazakhstan – Kelin – (Ermek Tursunov )
The Netherlands – Winter in Wartime – ( Martin Koolhoven )
Peru – The Milk of Sorrow – ( Claudia Llosa )
Out of the nine films, five will make the final cut for the nomination which will be announced on February 2nd, 2010. And the Academy Awards will be presented on March 7th, 2010.
BTW, Harishchandrachi Factory is releasing on 29th January. And do watch the film. The early reviews and the buzz from the festivals has been quite positive so far. The film is directed by Paresh Mokashi who has been doing theatre since last twenty years. Harishchandrachi Factory is Mokashi’s debut film.
The film traces the obstacles and hurdles faced by Dhundiraj Phalke (Dada Saheb Phalke), also known as the father of Indian cinema,while he was making the first Indian film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. And here is the theatrical trailer of the film…
For more details about the film/director/promos, click on the website link http://harishchandrachifactory.com/ .
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 