India selected the Gujarati film 'Chhello Show' aka 'The Last Film Show' as it's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards. Since then, the film has been surrounded by controversies. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has raised strong objections over its selection, alleging that it is not an Indian film and a copy of an iconic 1988 Italian French film 'Cinema Paradiso'.

WION recently&nbsp;caught up with the filmmaker Pan Nalin, who addressed all the concerns raised by FWICE.&nbsp;

"All of our cast is pure Kathiawadi. My own company Monsoon film is more than 25 years old. Just because I don't make films with stars doesn't mean I don't exist. Siddharth Roy Kapur who is associated with us runs Roy Kapur Films, which is Indian. It's truly an Indian film. It might be a Gujarati film but the cast, crew, and creative control as per the Academy rules totally rest with the Indian people. And Film Federation of India (FFI) is a strict body. If there was any issue they wouldn't have even allowed us to submit it. &nbsp;There are strict rules and guidelines which are on the website. So, these are completely baseless allegations.”

‘Chhello Show’ is partly an autobiographical drama that follows 9-year-old boy Samay, whose life changes forever after watching his first film. Nalin told us this is exactly what happened to him as a child.

"This film is totally inspired by my childhood. Growing up in Kathiawad countryside, when I saw the first movie I was mesmerised. Half the film I saw on the screen and half the film on the projection. So that obsession made me bunk school and made me do all mischievous stuff. I was obsessed. I even shot in the same cinema hall where I saw my first film. It was shut down for 25 years and was used to store sugarcane. We revamped the cinema hall and shot there.”

Bhavin Rabari who plays Samay in the film belongs to a small village in Gir. Pan and his team did more than 3000 auditions before they found Bhavin. With no prior acting experience, the young actor revealed to WION how he bagged the Pan Nalin film.

"I didn't know about the audition. I usually used to make reels on Tik Tok. When I went for the audition, I was asked a lot of questions and was asked to give an audio test. Some people knew how to sing, some knew how to dance, but I knew how to do comedy well. On shoot, I used to pester everyone from light man to Nalin sir to cameraman.... everyone. When they were not around or would go for a lunch break, I and my friends would pretend to be Nalin sir, cinematographer, light man, and we would imitate them and would say roll camera, rolling and action."

'Chhello Show' which will be released in theatres in India on October 14 has already won critical acclaim around the world. It was chosen over films like SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' and Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Kashmir Files ' to become the country's official contender in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2023 Oscars.&nbsp;

India selected the Gujarati film 'Chhello Show' aka 'The Last Film Show' as it's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards.

India selected the Gujarati film 'Chhello Show' aka 'The Last Film Show' as it's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards. Since then, the film has been surrounded by controversies. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has raised strong objections over its selection, alleging that it is not an Indian film and a copy of an iconic 1988 Italian French film 'Cinema Paradiso'. WION recently caught up with the filmmaker Pan Nalin, who addressed all the concerns raised by FWICE. "All of our cast is pure Kathiawadi. My own company Monsoon film is more than 25 years old. Just because I don't make films with stars doesn't mean I don't exist. Siddharth Roy Kapur who is associated with us runs Roy Kapur Films, which is Indian. It's truly an Indian film. It might be a Gujarati film but the cast, crew, and creative control as per the Academy rules totally rest with the Indian people. And Film Federation of India (FFI) is a strict body. If there was any issue they wouldn't have even allowed us to submit it. There are strict rules and guidelines which are on the website. So, these are completely baseless allegations.” ‘Chhello Show’ is partly an autobiographical drama that follows 9-year-old boy Samay, whose life changes forever after watching his first film. Nalin told us this is exactly what happened to him as a child. "This film is totally inspired by my childhood. Growing up in Kathiawad countryside, when I saw the first movie I was mesmerised. Half the film I saw on the screen and half the film on the projection. So that obsession made me bunk school and made me do all mischievous stuff. I was obsessed. I even shot in the same cinema hall where I saw my first film. It was shut down for 25 years and was used to store sugarcane. We revamped the cinema hall and shot there.” Bhavin Rabari who plays Samay in the film belongs to a small village in Gir. Pan and his team did more than 3000 auditions before they found Bhavin. With no prior acting experience, the young actor revealed to WION how he bagged the Pan Nalin film. "I didn't know about the audition. I usually used to make reels on Tik Tok. When I went for the audition, I was asked a lot of questions and was asked to give an audio test. Some people knew how to sing, some knew how to dance, but I knew how to do comedy well. On shoot, I used to pester everyone from light man to Nalin sir to cameraman.... everyone. When they were not around or would go for a lunch break, I and my friends would pretend to be Nalin sir, cinematographer, light man, and we would imitate them and would say roll camera, rolling and action." 'Chhello Show' which will be released in theatres in India on October 14 has already won critical acclaim around the world. It was chosen over films like SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' and Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Kashmir Files ' to become the country's official contender in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2023 Oscars.

Pan Nalin on 'Chhello Show' controversy: If there was any issue, FFI wouldn't have allowed submission

Ireland has chosen its pick for Oscars 2021 Best International Feature Film category and it is ‘Arracht’.

Tom Sullivan’s Irish-language feature ‘Arracht’ is set in 1845 on the eve of the Irish famine.&nbsp;

In the film, fisherman Colmán Sharkey takes in a stranger at the behest of a local priest. Patsy, a former soldier in the Napoleonic wars, arrives just ahead of “the blight” that eventually wipes out the country’s potato crop, leading to the death and displacement of millions. Patsy’s subsequent actions set Colmán on a path that will take him to the edge of survival, and sanity, until he encounters an abandoned young girl who gives him a reason to live. But Colmán cannot escape the darkness of his past.

The Oscar film stars Dónall Ó Héalai, alongside Dara Devaney, Michael McElhatton, and newcomer Saise Ní Chúinn. Read more Oscar related stories <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/oscars">here.</a>

The film world premiered at the 2019 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and won two Irish Academy Awards at this year’s virtual IFTA ceremony.

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2021-all-international-feature-films-submissions-so-far-340783" hreflang="en">Oscars 2021: All International Feature Films submissions so far</a></h2>

On the Oscar entry, the film’s director, Tom Sullivan said, “I am overjoyed with the news that ‘Arracht’ has been chosen by the IFTA selection committee to represent Ireland in the Oscar’s best international film category. This is recognition of the team’s work and dedication and to be considered on this level is a huge honor and beyond exciting. It’s been a funny old year to be in the film business but the support ‘Arracht’ has received from everyone has really kept us going.”

The 93rd Academy Awards will take place on April 25, 2021.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/fans-accuse-jennifer-lopez-of-copying-beyonce-during-her-performance-at-the-amas-345051" hreflang="en">Fans accuse Jennifer Lopez of copying Beyonce during her performance at the AMAs</a>

Ireland has chosen its pick for Oscars 2021 Best International Feature Film category and it is ‘Arracht’. Tom Sullivan’s Irish-language feature ‘Arracht’ is set in 1845 on the eve of the Irish famine.

Ireland has chosen its pick for Oscars 2021 Best International Feature Film category and it is ‘Arracht’. Tom Sullivan’s Irish-language feature ‘Arracht’ is set in 1845 on the eve of the Irish famine. In the film, fisherman Colmán Sharkey takes in a stranger at the behest of a local priest. Patsy, a former soldier in the Napoleonic wars, arrives just ahead of “the blight” that eventually wipes out the country’s potato crop, leading to the death and displacement of millions. Patsy’s subsequent actions set Colmán on a path that will take him to the edge of survival, and sanity, until he encounters an abandoned young girl who gives him a reason to live. But Colmán cannot escape the darkness of his past. The Oscar film stars Dónall Ó Héalai, alongside Dara Devaney, Michael McElhatton, and newcomer Saise Ní Chúinn. Read more Oscar related stories here. The film world premiered at the 2019 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and won two Irish Academy Awards at this year’s virtual IFTA ceremony. Oscars 2021: All International Feature Films submissions so far On the Oscar entry, the film’s director, Tom Sullivan said, “I am overjoyed with the news that ‘Arracht’ has been chosen by the IFTA selection committee to represent Ireland in the Oscar’s best international film category. This is recognition of the team’s work and dedication and to be considered on this level is a huge honor and beyond exciting. It’s been a funny old year to be in the film business but the support ‘Arracht’ has received from everyone has really kept us going.” The 93rd Academy Awards will take place on April 25, 2021. Fans accuse Jennifer Lopez of copying Beyonce during her performance at the AMAs

Ireland picks ‘Arracht’ for Oscars' International Feature Film category

Iran has chosen ace filmmaker Majid Majidi’s ‘Sun Children’ as its entry for Oscars 2021 in the Best International Feature Film category. Incidentally it is the sixth time that Majid Majidi’s film will represent the country.&nbsp;

The decision was announced on Sunday by the delegation of the representative of Iranian cinema to the Oscar ceremony.&nbsp;

The committee said that it screened 90 films before coming to the decision. Other films they were considering were ‘Walnut Tree,’ ‘Yalda: A Night for Forgiveness’ and ‘Careless Crime’.

The story of ‘Sun Children’ follows a small group of kids who sign up for education at a community organization, with the intention of using it to pull off a heist. Along the way it touches on child labor in Iran, inequality, and the deficiencies of the country’s school system.&nbsp;

‘Sun Children’ had its world premiere in competition at the 77th Venice Film Festival in September.&nbsp;

Iran has chosen ace filmmaker Majid Majidi’s ‘Sun Children’ as its entry for Oscars 2021 in the Best International Feature Film category. Incidentally it is the sixth time that Majid Majidi’s film will represent the country.

Iran has chosen ace filmmaker Majid Majidi’s ‘Sun Children’ as its entry for Oscars 2021 in the Best International Feature Film category. Incidentally it is the sixth time that Majid Majidi’s film will represent the country. The decision was announced on Sunday by the delegation of the representative of Iranian cinema to the Oscar ceremony. The committee said that it screened 90 films before coming to the decision. Other films they were considering were ‘Walnut Tree,’ ‘Yalda: A Night for Forgiveness’ and ‘Careless Crime’. The story of ‘Sun Children’ follows a small group of kids who sign up for education at a community organization, with the intention of using it to pull off a heist. Along the way it touches on child labor in Iran, inequality, and the deficiencies of the country’s school system. ‘Sun Children’ had its world premiere in competition at the 77th Venice Film Festival in September.

Iran selects Majid Majidi's 'Sun Children' for Oscar in International Feature category