Last Film Show shortlisted for Oscars in Best International Feature Film category

The Indian Gujarati film Chhello Show, also known as Last Film Show in English, has been nominated for the Best International Film Oscar. It is the first Indian movie to be included in this category in more than 20 years. 

The category includes Holy Spider (Denmark), All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany), Saint Omer (France), Corsage (Austria), EO (Poland), Return to Seoul (Cambodia), Decision to Leave (South Korea), Close (Belgium), and Argentina, 1985 in addition to Alejandro González Iárritu's Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Argentina). Their first film to be shortlisted in the category is Joyland from Pakistan. 

A coming-of-age drama with Bhavin Rabari, Bhavesh Shrimali, Richa Meena, Dipen Raval, and Paresh Mehta as its leading actors, Last Film Show is directed by Pan Nalin. Cancer claimed the life of young actor Rahul Koli in October. 

The 95th Academy Awards shortlists were revealed on Wednesday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. These categories were documentary feature, international cinema, makeup and hairstyle, score, original song, sound, visual effects, and shorts. On January 24, nominations for every category will be made public. On March 12, the 95th Oscars will take place. 

The film was recently shown in Chennai to a section of the media people who gave a standing ovation to the movie and its director Pan Nalin who was also present at the screening. 

Delighted with the Oscars selection, producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, producer Dheer Momaya and director Pan Nalin jointly said, “We are humbled and overjoyed that our heartfelt ode to the cinematic medium Last Film Show (Chhello Show) has been recognized by the world's preeminent awards body, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Ever since our selection by the Film Federation of India as India's Official Entry to the 95th Oscars, we knew in our hearts that the film was bound for something special. We would like to thank the FFI, the millions of people who watched and admired Chhello Show, as well as our international distributors who gave the film a well-deserved push. This is a historic moment for India and we hope to bring the Oscar home very soon.”

Also read: Chhello Show OTT release: When, where to watch India's official entry to Oscars

Pan Nalin shared the video on his Twitter handle and wrote, "Thank you Chennai for standing up for Cinema! South India Premiere #ChhelloShow @LastFilmShow1 huge thank you to one and only @samirsarkar @_PVRCinemas @roykapurfilms". 

Chhello Show, or as it is called in English as Last Film Show, releasesd in India on October 14 and is being presented by Sidharth Roy Kapur under his banner Roy Kapur Films. Pan Nalin has co-produced the film under his own company Monsoon Films, along with Jugaad Motion Pictures.