Ahead of the 2020 Oscars, the Nigerian Oscar Selection Committee (NOSC) has called on Nigerian filmmakers to submit entries for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category.

The category is dedicated to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.

Each year, countries with an approved selection committee may submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award Oscar.

Only five films are chosen from all international submissions from which a winner of the international feature film category is chosen.

The Oscars 92nd Academy Awards ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles on February 9, 2020.

Quite a significant development, it is the first time Nigeria would be putting in entries for the coveted Oscar awards.

The reconstituted 12-member NOSC committee members said the entry is open to Nigerian filmmakers.

The NOSC on Saturday said the competition which invites films of any genre is open to Nigerian filmmakers living in Nigeria or in the Diaspora.

According to the committee, the film has to be 40-minute-long and produced outside the U.S.

Entries received will be scrutinised under the eligibility rules and the nominated film will represent Nigeria at the Academy Award 2020.

“The NOSC urges Nollywood filmmakers to avail themselves the opportunity to participate in the Oscars by submitting their films latest September 20th, 2019.

“The Committee also apologises for the late announcement which they said was due to delay in approval for the reconstituted 12-man committee by the Academy,” it said.

The Chairman of the Committee, Chineze Anyaene, said for a film to be eligible, it must have, among other criteria, been released in Nigeria between October 1, 2018, and September 30, 2019.

Chineze Anyaene, Chairman, Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee

She added that the film must have been exhibited in a commercial cinema theatre for at least seven days.

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She said, “The criteria for selection include originality of the story, good directing, acting, cinematography and sound, while the recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English.

“Submissions are expected to be done by post to the NOSC Secretariat at 614 Street, Area 1, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria. Interested filmmakers are advised to visit the NOSC website on http://www.thenosc.org or email info@thenosc.org for further inquiries.”

The newly constituted Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee comprises of old and young Nollywood stakeholders.

The members include Mildred Okwo, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Ngozi Okafor, Charles Novia, Abba Makama, Bruce Ayonote, Ramsey Nouah, Chioma Ude, Shaibu Husseini, Adetokunbo “DJ Tee” Odubawo and CJ Obasi.

Nigeria joined 82 other countries contesting for the ‘International Feature Film’ category at the Oscars in 2014.

This was after approval and subsequent inauguration of the NOSC in February 2014.