12 Nollywood stakeholders; Ramsey Nouah, Biola Alabi, Charles Novia, Mildred Okwo, Chineze Anyaene, Ngozi Okafor, Olumide Amure, Kene Mkparu, Emeka Mba, Chioma Ude, Akin Salami, Mildred Okwo and Shaibu Husseini have joined members of the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC). The selection was approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
Committee members will pave the way for Nigerian entries to be considered for the world’s most prestigious prizes for films. Each year, countries with an approved selection committee may submit one film for consideration for the Foreign Language Film Award Oscar; only 5 films are chosen from all international submissions for Academy members to cast their votes and choose a winning foreign language film.
“This is a great opportunity for Nigeria to have a voice in the international film arena”, said Chineze Anyaene, filmmaker and committee chairperson.
Shuiabu Husseini, another member of the board agrees. “The Nollywood film industry needs to play globally so people begin to look towards us.”
The NOSC comprises twelve outstanding professionals who have over time proved their mettle as some of the finest in the movie industry and will select one Nollywood movie each year to be submitted for the Oscars. According to Academy rules, the members will consider submissions on seven criteria, which are: story, direction, acting, cinematography, sound, music and universal theme.
Every Nollywood movie selected each year will compete with movies from eighty-five (85) other countries for the coveted Best Foreign Language Film Award. Academy members will then pick a shortlist of five foreign language pictures ahead of the awards ceremony.
The approval of NOSC represents a milestone for the nation’s movie industry which has been recognized as one of the top largest movie industries globally. For years, stakeholders have been trying to further improve its standards and this represents a move in the right direction. Sooner or later, Nollywood movies will win – maybe consecutively even – the Oscar statuette for Best Foreign Language Picture.