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NOSC submits C.J Obasi’s ‘Mami Wata’ for 2024 Oscars

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The Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the Best International Feature Film (IFF) category of the Oscars has selected the Sundance Festival award-winning film Mami Wata for the 96th edition.

The IFF (formerly Best Foreign Language) Award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length film produced outside the United States that contains 50 per cent or more non-English dialogue.

Written and directed by C.J. Obasi, the film is an exploration and creative reimagination of the mythology of a titular mermaid-deity of West African folklore, and one which, among other things, celebrates womanhood.

The committee said it selected the film for its “relevant theme – multiple generations of women at the forefront of society’s well-being, its unique approach to a story of pre and post-colonial African societies, as well as its technical and artistic excellence.”

The NOSC voting members include award-winning actress and Chairperson of NOSC; Stephanie Linus, M.D Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC); Chidia Maduekwe, President of Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Victor Okhai; veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, former President of DGN Andy Amenechi, theatre practitioner Yibo Koko; and movie director Izu Ojukwu.

Others are Adetokunbo ‘DJ Tee’ Odubawo, Emem Isong, Dimeji Ajibola, Jude Idada, Ngozi Okafor, John Njamah and Meg Otanwa.

“I’m excited to announce a milestone in our NOSC journey: our first Pidgin film submission to the Academy, marking our commitment to diversity and global representation. I urge filmmakers not to relent in enhancing their skills, and elevate production to global standards,” Stephanie stated in a statement.

Nigeria’s first-ever official submission for an Oscar Lionheart was disqualified in 2019 for not meeting the non-English dialogue criteria.

The Milkmaid, a movie directed by Desmond Ovbiagele was submitted for the 2021 Oscars.

However, it did not make the shortlist for the International Feature Film (IFF) category.