Kunle Afolayan expresses his hopes that his new movie ‘Anikulapo’ makes it to the Oscars

Nigerian Actor, Producer and filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, has expressed his optimism over the decision of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences to give the Nigerian Official Selection Committee another chance to make a submission for the 2023 Oscars award.

The Film Maker posted his expectation and optimism via his twitter page, responding to the tweet of former NOSC member, Husseini Shaibu who resigned earlier after the news that no Nigerian movie was eligible for the Oscars film awards.

Last month, the Nigerian Official Selection Committee announced that no Nigerian Film qualified. This decision erupted a lot of reactions from Nigerians and her film makers.

It was recently made public that the academy has given the NOMC another opportunity to select a Nigerian Movie for the International Feature Film Category of the prestigious Oscars award by October 21^st 2022.

Husseini took to his Twitter page on Sunday and made the announcement. He said, “I have just been informed that the International Feature Film Executive Committee of @TheAcademy has intervened in the issue regarding the Nigerian Official Selection Committee. I note that an extension has been granted for a final determination by the @officialnosc.

“I also note the IFF Committee’s directive that the ENTIRE approved NOSC will be required to ALL reconvene and make a final determination.

“Though I resigned my membership of the NOSC because I felt, among other reasons, that we did not reach a CONSENSUS on the ‘nill submission’, I will be more than willing to temporarily withdraw my resignation if only for the purpose of making a final determination regarding a submission to the IFF category for the 95th Academy Awards.”

Reacting to his tweet, Kunle Afolayan tweeted on Monday, “It’s just been confirmed that The Academy ‘OSCARS’ has given the Nigerian Oscars selection committee a week extension to revote and re-present a film to represent Nigeria by October 21st latest. “God’s hand is in this one, I believe! ‘Anikulapo’ on my mind.” He wrote,

Kunle’s Film “Anikulapo” was one of the movies brought before the NOSC for the IFF categorybut unfortunately, the movie was not chosen.

Regardless, in gratitude for the reviews he has gotten so far for the film, Afolayan said, “I am so pleased and delighted that the whole world has decided to tagged ANIKULAPO film ‘a masterpiece’ even though the Nigeria Oscar selection committee thinks it’s not worth submitting for the Oscars.”

Afolayan is very hopeful that his film Anikulapo, makes it to the Oscars.

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