Malayalam film ‘Jallikattu’ is India’s entry for Oscars 2021

Mumbai: The Malayalam film, ‘Jallikattu’, has been selected as the official Indian entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards, 2021.

The news was confirmed trade analyst Ramesh Bala. “Lijo Jose Pellissery’s #Jallikattu is India’s entry for the Best International Film #Oscar category,” Bala wrote on official Twitter account.

The 2019 action drama is directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery with a screenplay by S. Hareesh and R. Jayakumar. It is based on the short story named Maoist by Hareesh. The film stars Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad and Santhy Balachandran.

The story revolves around a buffalo that flees from a slaughterhouse in a remote hill town of Kerala, and how the entire townsfolk end up in its hunt. As the hapless animal runs riot in the town, the plot brings alive the vicious side of humanity.

The film had its international premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. It has been screened at the 24th Busan International Film Festival before theatrical release on October 4 last year in Kerala.

Pellissery was feted with the Best Director award at the 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).