Bangladesh nominates ‘Boli’ for Oscars

Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury’s film “Boli” (The Wrestler), which won an award at the Busan Film Festival, has been selected to represent Bangladesh in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.

A seven-member Oscar Bangladesh Committee, chaired by director Matin Rahman, was formed to oversee the nomination process. After inviting submissions, the committee unanimously chose “Boli” on October 1 as Bangladesh’s official entry for the 97th Oscars, following careful deliberation.

Robin Shams, the coordinator of the Oscar Bangladesh Committee, confirmed the news.

The film has not been theatrically released in Bangladesh yet. However, under a newly added clause introduced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Oscars has updated the eligibility criteria for Best Picture and international submissions. Under the revised rules, films can now qualify for submission even if they haven’t had a theatrical release in the home country as long as they meet certain criteria, including international screenings.

“Boli” received a grant from the Bangladesh government for the fiscal year 2020-21. Nasir Uddin Khan stars in the film, portraying a quirky fisherman living by the sea. It was filmed in the coastal areas of Chattogram during April and May of 2022. Saiful Azim and Syed Gausul Alam Shaon served as co-producers.

Notably, “Boli” won an award in the New Currents section at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 2022, earning the director a prize of USD $30,000 (Tk 34 lakh). This marks the first time a Bangladeshi film has been recognised as the best at Busan. Now, this award-winning film is heading to the Oscars in the International Feature Film category.

The 97th Academy Awards, organised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will be held on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, where awards will be presented in 24 categories, including Best International Feature Film.