The Oscars Academy Approves a Nigerian Selection Committee

The Oscar awarding body - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has approved a Nigerian committee - the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC) - to select and submit to it movies to be considered for the Oscars. The 12 members of the committee are well known Nollywood stakeholders, as follows;


1. Chineze Anyaene – Producer/Director (Chairperson)
2. Ramsey Nouah – Actor
3. Charles Novia – Writer/Producer/Director
4. Ngozi Okafor – Line Producer/Producer
5. Emeka Mba - Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)
6. Chioma Ude - Executive Director of African International Film Festival (AFRIFF)
7. Akin Salami - Executive Producer/Distributor & Content Developer
8. Kene Mkparu – MD/CEO, Filmhouse Cinemas Nigeria
9. Mildred Okwo – Producer/Director
10. Biola Alabi – Managing Director, M-Net Africa
11. Olumide Amure - Managing Director of Bloomberg Television Africa Limited
12. Shaibu Husseini – Culture/Film Journalist/Film Critic

Every year, countries with an approved selection committee may submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award. According to rules by the Academy, members will consider submissions on 7 criteria which are – story, direction, acting, cinematography, sound, music and universal theme.

The outstanding Nollywood movie selected each year will compete with movies from 85 other countries for the coveted Oscar. Of the 85 movies, 5 are shortlisted for Academy members to cast their votes and choose a winning foreign language production.

I've not seen an English language movie submitted for the Foreign language category, so this means our directors and producers aiming for this have to start seeking scripts in local Nigerian languages. Interesting days are coming. I don't think we're ready for 2015 Oscars, maybe the next year after that.