LAHORE: The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee has invited filmmakers to submit their films for consideration for the Academy Award, known as the Oscars, in the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category for the 94th Academy Awards by Sept 20, says a press release.

This will mark the ninth consecutive submission by the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee having previously submitted Zinda Bhaag in 2013, Dukhtar in 2014, Moor in 2015, Mah-e-Mir in 2016, Saawan in 2017, Cake in 2018, Lal Kabootar in 2019 and Zindagi Tamasha in 2020 to represent the best of Pakistani cinema for the award consideration.

The committee to review movies for the 2021 Oscars is chaired by two-time Academy Awards and Emmy Awards winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and includes Ali Azmat (musician), Bee Gul (screenwriter and director), Humayun Saeed (actor and director), Jawed Sheikh (Actor, Producer and Director), Mo Azmi (cinematographer), Omar Shahid Hamid (novelist), Rafay Mahmood (film critic), Samina Ahmad (actress and director] and Sania Saeed (actress).

The committee will choose a film as Pakistan’s official submission for the Academy Award for the Best International Feature Film.

An international film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the United States of America and its territories with a predominantly (more than 50pc) non-English dialogue track. Animated and documentary feature films are permitted.

For entry forms, submission details and queries, one could write to pakistancommittee@gmail.com.

The press release says the Covid-19 pandemic mandated the closure of commercial motion picture theatres worldwide. Country-selected films that had a previously planned theatrical release but are initially made available through a reputable commercial streaming distribution service or video on demand may qualify for awards consideration.

The criteria for eligibility is that the film must be first released in the country of origin no earlier than Jan 1, 2021, and no later than Dec 31, 2021 and be first publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theatre for the profit of the producer and exhibitor. The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee will announce its nomination for award on Oct 20, 2021.

Appointed: Ijaz Ahmad Minhas has been appointed as the executive director of the Lahore Arts Council (LAC). He took over the charge of his post on Tuesday at Alhamra

Art Centre, The Mall.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2021