The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ has already disqualified Lionheart, Nigeria’s entry for best international feature Oscar consideration, because the language is English, which is the language Nigerians speak. The Academy has disqualified Austria entry, Joy, for that same reason, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Academy’s rules state that “an international film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (defined as over 40 minutes) produced outside the United States of America with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.” The Academy’s customary review process found that two-thirds of the dialogue in Joy, which was written and directed by Sudabeh Mortezai, is in English.
The Austrian selection committee was notified of the Academy’s verdict Monday morning.
This is honestly ridiculous so countries like Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago will really have no shot in qualifying for an Oscar consideration.
