The Academy Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars is not without its own controversies and deficiencies but a shot at a nomination in one of its most criticised yet crucial categories would have been a game changer for Nollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that 92 countries submitted films for consideration for the Foreign Language category. Now that’s 7 countries more than last year’s 85. Of all 92, a paltry eight of those submissions came from Africa and none of those eight is Nigerian. Not one.
South Africa, Algeria, Senegal, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Tunisia, and Egypt are now contending to make the final five nominations for the 2018 Oscars. Now according to Oscar rules, the movies that make the cut have to be in another language that isn’t English – essentially why it’s called Foreign Language.
Ynaija
