Nigeria has chosen Dear Ajayi as its official submission in the Best International Feature Film category for the 99th Academy Awards.
The Nigerian Official Selection Committee, (NOSC) tasked with selecting the country’s Oscar entry, announced the film’s selection after reviewing all eligible submissions.
According to reports, Dear Ajayi will proceed to the next stage of the Academy Awards selection process, where it will compete for consideration alongside films submitted by other countries.
However, the film’s selection does not guarantee an Oscar nomination. It must first undergo the Academy’s review process before the final nominees in the Best International Feature Film category are announced.
Reacting to the selection, NOSC Chairperson Stephanie Linus congratulated the filmmakers behind Dear Ajayi and expressed confidence in the film’s prospects at the next stage of the process.
“We congratulate the filmmakers behind Dear Ajayi on their selection,” Linus said.
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Directed, written and produced by Damilola Orimogunje, Dear Ajayi is a period drama set in southwestern Nigeria in the 1990s.
The film follows two sisters, Ade and Titi Ajayi, whose lives take different paths before their strained relationship is tested when their ailing mother comes to live with them.
As the sisters deal with grief, faith, ambition and family expectations, old resentments resurface and force them to confront the choices that have shaped their lives.
The 99th Academy Awards will assess submissions from various countries and film industries worldwide as part of the selection process for the Best International Feature Film category.
As a result, Nigeria’s entry will undergo further evaluation by the Academy before the final shortlist and nominees are announced.
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