Nepal, Singapore and Israel Join International Oscar Submissions

Nepal, Singapore and Israel have joined the international feature-film race for the 99th Academy Awards, according to reporting by Variety. Final submissions are due Oct. 1, with the Oscar shortlists set for Dec. 15 and nominations scheduled for Jan. 21.

Nepal selected Abinash Bikram Shah’s “Elephants in the Fog,” his feature directorial debut. The Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner follows a Kinnar community in a Nepalese village seeking to protect itself. Pushpa Thing Lama leads the cast.

Singapore submitted Anthony Chen’s “We Are All Strangers,” a contemporary family drama starring Yeo Yann Yann, Koh Jia Ler, Andi Lim and Regene Lim. The film, which completed Chen’s trilogy after “Ilo Ilo” and “Wet Season,” became the first Singaporean title selected for Berlin’s main competition.

Israel’s entry is Moshe Rosenthal’s “Tell Me Everything,” which won Best Picture at the Ophir Awards. Set during the 1980s HIV epidemic, the sophomore feature premiered in Sundance’s world cinema dramatic competition.

The international feature campaign also includes Romania’s “Fjord,” winner of Cannes’ Palme d’Or, Chile’s “The Meltdown,” which screened in Un Certain Regard, and Germany’s “Everytime,” winner of that section’s prize, Variety reported. France has yet to submit a film.

A new Academy rule allows films that win the top prize at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, Busan or Toronto to enter the race without national committee backing. The shortlist will contain 15 films for Academy members who commit to watching all selected titles.