Nigerian moviemaker and veteran thespian, Kunle Afolayan has expressed disappointment after his newly released movie, Anikulapo was rejected for consideration by members of the Academy Awards better known as Oscars at the 2023 edition of the award.
The movie, Anikulapo was released on Friday receiving predominantly positive reviews from viewers. Despite the positive feedback from fans, the movie was declared “not worthy” by the Oscars award committee.
A couple of weeks ago, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) confirmed that no Nigerian film will compete in the International Feature Film category at the 2023 Oscar Awards.
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The Committee announced that none of the three finalist films are eligible to fully represent the country and compete in the International Feature Film category of the Oscar Awards.
The three films nominated include: “Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman” by the late Biyi Bandele; Kunle Afolayan’s “Anikulapo” and Femi Adebayo-produced “Agesinkole (King of Thieves)”.
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Read the full statement below.
In a statement by the Chairperson of the committee, Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi shares:
Although the committee received three epic films following its call for submissions in August, it turned out that none of them will advance to the next stage owing to the voting patterns of members.
The statement reads further;
Nigerian films have, no doubt, improved significantly as the awareness of the requirements has since grown among filmmakers, and potentially soon, we just might be bringing the award home in succession.
Our filmmakers are (however) implored to get more acquainted with Oscar-nominated films in the IFF(International Feature Film) category to achieve the needed international recognition and put our films in its acclaimed level of creative discourse
Expressing his disappointment on his Twitter platform, Kunle Afolayan wrote;
“I am so pleased and delighted that the whole world has decided to tag ANIKULAPO film a masterpiece even though the Nigeria Oscar selection committee think it’s not worth submitting for the Oscars.
Will keep doing my own thing”
https://twitter.com/kunleafolayan/status/1576832976045756416?s=20&t=HPA-ROR8Or6a9EB-5vY6GA
