South African film Old Righteous Blues has been entered into the race for next year's Oscars. Picture: Amy Pienaar
South African film Old Righteous Blues has been submitted as South Africa’s official entry for the 97th Academy Awards (Oscars).
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced on Thursday that the film will represent the country in the Best International Feature Film category.
“We are honoured to have Old Righteous Blues represent us on such a prestigious global platform, and we believe its universal themes of redemption, community, and overcoming the past will captivate audiences worldwide,” said Acting Chief Executive Officer of the NFVF, Lebogang Mogoera.
WATCH: A trailer for the film
The Top 11 nominations will be announced on 17 December 2024, and the final Top five for the Academy Awards Best International Feature Film category will be announced on 17 January 2025.
The 97th Oscars are set for March 2, 2025.
The NFVF is an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture (DSAC) created to ensure the equitable growth of South Africa’s film and video industry. Mogoerama is the Chief Director of the DSAC.
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The film tells the story of a young man, portrayed by Ayden Croy, who has a dream of leading his town’s Christmas Choir Band (Kerskoor) to its former glory but is faced with obstacles beyond his control.
The decision to enter the film was made by the South African Academy Awards Selection Committee after an “extensive judging process”, which included scored reviews and in-depth deliberations.
This year’s committee comprised a diverse panel of seasoned industry professionals from
various fields within the film industry, who were submitted to and approved by the Academy.
The Afrikaans film that comes in English subtitles had a run at NuMetro cinemas in September.
Its leading actor Croy was recently nominated in the National Film & TV Awards in the Best Actor category.
Old Righteous Blues has won several awards at the 2024 Silwerskermfees, Romford Film Festival and Panther City Film Festivals.
Best Supporting Actor Silwerskermfees 2023: Joshwin Dyson, Best Director Romford Film Festival 2024: Muneera Sallies, Best Actor Romford Film Festival 2024: Croy and Best Supporting Actor Panther City Film Festival 2024 Stefan Erasmus.
The movie is distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution and pre-sold to KykNet.
“The film’s setting is truly local and the mesmeric writing offers a unique and poignant South African perspective on unity and hope amidst division,” CEO of General Entertainment at the MultiChoice Group Nomsa Philiso said.
Channel Director at Premium Channels Waldimar Pelser said Old Righteous Blues represents the best of Mzansi’s filmmaking.
“We are thrilled for the teams involved that this beautiful movie will represent the best of South African film-making in the run-up to the Oscars in 2025,” he said
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