Academy Disqualifies Nigerian Film from Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has disqualified Lionheart from its Best International Feature Film Award category, sparking outrage and condemnation across the industry.

AMPAS announced the move in an email on Monday, explaining that entrants to the category must have a “predominantly non-English dialogue track”.

Lionheart, Nigeria’s first-ever submission to the Oscars, is mostly in English, though it does contain an 11-minute segment in Igbo, the language spoken by the ethnic Igbo people in south-eastern Nigeria.

The film had not been vetted by the Academy’s International Feature Film Award Executive Committee prior to the announcement of those films that had qualified for the category, though AMPAS have said it has subsequently been viewed, leading to their decision.

This is the first year for the Best International Feature Film category, which was previously known as Best Foreign Language Film.

Genevieve Nnaji, who stars and directs Lionheart, took to Twitter to protest the decision, saying “This movie represents the way we speak as Nigerians.  This includes English which acts as a bridge between 500+ languages spoken in our country; thereby making us #OneNigeria.

“It’s no different to how French connects communities in former French colonies.  We did not choose who colonized us.  As ever, this film and many like it, is proudly Nigerian”.

She’s garnered support from high-profile figures within the industry, including Ava DuVernay, the award-winning director whose films including Selma, a biopic on civil rights leader Martin Luther King, and 13th, the Oscar-nominated documentary exploring race in modern America.

DuVernay said “You [AMPAS] disqualified Nigeria’s first-ever submission for Best International Feature because it is in English.  But English is the official language of Nigeria.  Are you barring this country from ever competing for an Oscar in its official language?”.

The 92nd Academy Awards will be held in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, on 9th February 2020.