Oscars 2025: Nigeria Opens Submissions for International Feature Film Category

The Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the Academy Awards has announced its call for submissions for the 97th Oscars’ International Feature Film category.

Nigerian filmmakers can submit their features films from Aug. 1 to Aug. 30, 2024, through the committee’s official website which can be found here.

The NOSC, led by Stephanie Linus, is responsible for choosing Nigeria’s entry for the prestigious International Feature Film award category.

The IFF Award is conferred yearly by the Academy to feature-length films produced outside the United States which contains 50% or more of dialogue in a language or languages other than English.

The NOSC has also announced an additional several new members to the committee, including Ali Nuhu, managing director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, producer-director Blessing Effiom Egbe, Ijeoma Grace Agu, an actress; Kene Okwuosa, chief executive officer of Nile Entertainment and Victor Akande, a journalist, author, and film critic.

They join the returning committee members such as Victor Okhai, president of the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and director Izu Ojukwu amongst others.

Nigeria has yet to secure a nomination in the International Feature Film category, despite strong entries in recent years.

The NOSC’s call for submissions comes as Nigerian cinema, often referred to as Nollywood, continues to gain global attention for its prolific output and unique storytelling styles.

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.