The feature film ‘Anjila’ has been chosen to represent Nepal at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars). The International Feature Film Selection Committee in Nepal confirmed that the film has been nominated in the International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards, set to take place in the United States.
Committee Chair Bimal Paudel explained the decision, noting that ‘Anjila’ had been selected to ensure Nepal’s presence at the awards, taking into account the film’s storyline, artistic quality, and overall message. “We selected the movie considering the technical aspect, presentation of the plot, notional analysis of the characters and artistic style after in-depth analysis of the film,” he said.
‘Anjila’ tells the story of Anjila Tumbapo Subba, goalkeeper of the Nepali women’s national football team, with Subba herself making her acting debut in the lead role. The film was directed by Milan Chams and produced by Prem Kumar Shrestha.
“Nepal has made strides in sports so we produced the film reflecting the life and struggle of footballer Subba,” Shrestha shared. The cast also features Dayahang Rai, Srijana Subba, Mao Tse Gurung, and Buddhi Tamang. According to the producers, the film, released in Nepal last year, went on to gross approximately Rs 90 million at the box office.
