China and Pakistan have submitted their entries for best international feature film in the 2024 Oscars competition. According to The Hollywood Reporter, China’s entry will be Frant Gwo’s “The Wandering Earth ll,” while Pakistan’s will be Zarrar Kahn’s “In Flames.”
Both films have been added to the members-only streaming service of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, officially putting them in competition for a gold statuette at next year’s ceremonies.
“The Wandering Earth ll,” whose prequel had been released in January, earned some $700 million, making it China’s fifth highest-grossing film ever. Loosely based on a 2000 short story by Liu Cixin, “The Wandering Earth ll” is a speculative film about a team of astronauts diverting the planet Earth away from an expanding Sun while trying to prevent it from colliding with the planet Jupiter. Set in the late twenty-first century, the film also included settings in the frozen ruins of Shanghai. It was described by The Hollywood Reporter as “China’s first full-scale interstellar spectacular.”
Since 1979, China has submitted more than 20 films in the international feature category but only three have gone on to win a nomination: Zhang Yimou’s “Ju Dou” (1990), “Raise the Red Lantern” (1991), and “Hero” (2003). No Chinese film has gone on to win an Oscar in the category.
Earlier this year, “In Flames” debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and had its North American premiere \at the Toronto International Film Festival. The horror film narrates the saga of a young woman who becomes haunted by spirits after the death of her father. The film also serves as a commentary on the vulnerability of women in Pakistan’s patriarchal society.
Over the years, Pakistan has submitted eleven films to the Academy but only one has been shortlisted: Saim Sadiq’s “Joyland” in 2022.
The 96th Academy Awards will be presented on March 10, 2024.
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China, Pakistan Submit Entries for Best International Oscars
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