Highlights
The Academy announced on Tuesday shortlists in 10 categories for the Oscars 2025, including Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), and Music (Original Song).
The Oscars Shortlist 2025 is a big moment ahead of the nominations to be announced on January 17. The shortlist carries names of films on track to pick up one of the golden statues, and the ones that failed to make the grade.
Oscars 2025 race enters a more exciting phase
Essentially, the Oscars 2025 Shortlist includes films that are officially eligible to compete in different categories at the Oscars 2025. But it does not guarantee that these films can slide into the final nominations for the prestigious ceremony on March 2.
The race for the golden trophy has entered a more exciting phase. Oscar voting to determine the nominees in all 23 categories is set to begin on January 8 and continue till January 12. Nominations shall be announced on January 17.
The biggest categories of Oscars 2025, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay are not part of the shortlists. The Academy is going to vote from the large submissions pool.
Understanding Oscars 2025 shortlisting process
This year, the Oscars noted films from 85 countries and regions as official entries. An International Feature Film Preliminary Committee screened these entries to shortlist 15 creations. Post this, another committee checks English-subtitled copies to pick five.
The final nomination list is going to be announced next month. For the unversed, only three Indian films have ever been nominated for an Oscar: Lagaan in 2001, Salaam Bombay in 1988 and Mother India in 1957.
But no Indian film has grabbed the honour yet. This year, the Film Federation of India (FFI) – a parent body of the industry comprising directors, producers and others – sent ‘Laapataa Ladies’ as the country’s official entry for the ‘Best International Feature Film’.
‘Laapataa Ladies’ out of Oscars 2025 race
Millions of people had their eyes on Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapataa Ladies’ as the FFI had selected it for the ‘Best International Feature Film’. But on Tuesday, it became clear that there is another Hindi-language film that made it into the shortlists.
Santosh, an international co-production set in rural North India, has earned a position in the category. In total, 15 films are selected for the shortlist in this category, out of 85 films submitted by countries from around the globe.
The UK had sent ‘Santosh’ as their official submission for Oscars 2025. The film also premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. Film enthusiasts and fans are reigniting the debate surrounding the selection process.
Netizens slamming ‘missed opportunity’
Scores of netizens across the country are also slamming India’s Oscar selection committee for snubbing Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’, the Times of India reported, adding that people are slamming the ‘missed opportunity’ at scoring a position.
‘Laapataa Ladies’ is a quirky comedy set in rural India and revolves around the chaos that ensues after a couple of young brides go missing on a train journey. But the film has been unable to earn a spot on the Oscars shortlist, disappointing many fans.
Understanding India’s official entry process
Each year, the prestigious Oscars celebrate films made outside the US under the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category, earlier called ‘Best Foreign Film’. For the same, the Academy places the responsibility to pick one film on an elected body.
In 2024, 29 films in different Indian languages had been submitted to the FFI. The body announced the Kiran Rao directorial after careful consideration. For the selection process, a special 13-member committee had also been formed.
But it should be noted here that filmmakers can also submit their films independently. Earlier, SS Rajamouli submitted his blockbuster ‘RRR’ as an independent entry in 14 categories. The song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the film also grabbed a trophy.
Oscars 2025 Shortlist: Do most-shortlisted films grab more trophies?
The French musical crime comedy ‘Emilia Perez’ and Jon M. Chu’s cinematic adaptation of the musical ‘Wicked’ are leading the Oscars 2025 shortlists of potential nominees. Interestingly, the former film is also leading the 2025 Golden Globes nominations.
But here is the more important question. Do shortlists indicate the final trophy recipients? Sometimes. The most-shortlisted films could rack up key nominations and also grab victory on Oscars night, even in categories that do not carry shortlists.
But this isn’t the case each time. For example, the most-shortlisted film for 2024 ‘Barbie’ earned 5 mentions. Though it ended up clinching the trophy for the best song category, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ took home a leading 7 Oscars from 13 nominations.
Oscars Shortlist 2025: Best International Feature Film
1. Brazil: I’m Still Here
Set against the backdrop of Brazil’s military dictatorship, ‘I’m Still Here’ is a profoundly and meticulously crafted film. This political biographical drama recently screened at the 2024 International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).
2. Canada: Universal Language
Described as a “surreal comedy of disorientation”, ‘Universal Language’ received positive feedback from critics. In this tale, a couple of seemingly unconnected stories find a mysterious point of intersection.
3. Czech Republic: Waves
Inspired by the true story of a public radio station, ‘Waves’ is an affirmation of the importance of independent journalism. This drama film centers on 2 young brothers during the Prague Spring and has been performing decently at the box office.
4. Denmark: The Girl with the Needle
This psychological horror project is based in Copenhagen 1919. A young employee loses her job and finds herself pregnant, too. She meets Dagmar – part of an underground adoption agency. Their connection deepens but things start to turn South soon.
5. France: Emilia Perez
‘Emilia Perez’ is leading the Oscars 2025 Shortlist. Interestingly, this film also leads the 2025 Golden Globes nominations. It is a musical crime comedy project, focusing on four outstanding women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness.
6. Germany: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Germany’s Oscar entry for 2024, ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ is a political thriller drama film. Judge Iman struggles to address paranoia amid political unrest in Iran. He imposes draconian measures as his gun vanishes, leading to strained family relationships.
7. Iceland: Touch
‘Touch’ is a prominent romantic and thrilling story that centres on one man’s emotional journey to find his first love before his time runs out. This film spans multiple decades and continents, luring great feedback for its meticulously prepared plot.
8. Ireland: Kneecap
Released earlier this year, ‘Kneecap’ is a comedy-drama film, narrating an interesting tale of the rise of Kneecap, an Irish hip-hop trio from Belfast, Northern Ireland. This music biopic that broke out in Sundance could be Ireland’s most important film in years.
9. Italy: Vermiglio
In Vermiglio, a remote mountain village, war is a distant but omnipresent horizon. Things start to change when Pietro, a soldier escaping the war, enters. His arrival into a family of a local teacher and his love for the teacher’s eldest daughter complicate things.
10. Latvia: Flow
Gints Zilbalodis has done a phenomenal job at directing this film. This animated fantasy adventure film is about Cat – a solitary animal. Things have changed because of a flood and Cat needs to live on a boat populated by other species, despite their differences.
11. Norway: Armand
‘Armand’ represents filmmaker Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel’s feature directorial debut. In this tale, a six-year-old is accused of crossing boundaries against his best friend at elementary school. It is a bold exploration of parental conflict, trauma and hidden histories.
12. Palestine: From Ground Zero
‘From Ground Zero’ is an anthology film directed by 24 Palestinian directors. This film released on July 5, 2024. Different filmmakers navigating a tough period because of the ongoing fighting capture their lives, revealing stories beyond the headlines.
13. Senegal: Dahomey
Mati Diop did a fabulous job at directing this documentary film. ‘Dahomey’ is a dramatised account of 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey (currently in Republic of Benin) – earlier held in a French museum.
14. Thailand: How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
Lured by her fortune, a man quits his job to care for his dying grandmother. This 2024 Thai comedy-drama film has taken a good grasp of the complexities of family relationships and sacrifices. It has seen success both domestically and internationally.
15. UK: Santosh
The UK had sent ‘Santosh‘ as their official submission for Oscars 2025. This Hindi-language film tells the story of Santosh, who has inherited her husband’s job as a police constable after his death. She gets pulled into a probe when a girl’s body is found.
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