Oscar Bangladesh Committee invites films for 99th Academy Awards submission

The process of selecting the country's entry for the 99th Academy Awards has begun, with the Oscar Bangladesh Committee inviting filmmakers to submit films for consideration in the International Feature Film category.

Filmmakers can submit their entries until September 16, according to Abdullah Al Maruf, submission coordinator of the Oscar Bangladesh Committee.

Applicants must complete the designated online form and submit the required documents. A jury will then select one film to represent Bangladesh at the Oscars, he said.

The selected film will be announced at a press conference on September 27.

The selection process will follow the eligibility criteria and regulations set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

To qualify, a film must be a feature-length production of more than 40 minutes. Fiction, animated and documentary films are eligible for submission. More than half of the film's dialogue must be in Bangla, and it must have proper English subtitles.

The film must also have been commercially exhibited in a Bangladeshi cinema for at least seven consecutive days between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

Films that were made available on OTT platforms, television or other digital platforms before their theatrical release will not be eligible.

The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 14 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

Last year, Bangladesh submitted Lisa Gazi’s “The House of Shahana” as its entry for the international competition. The country’s next Oscar entry will be revealed on September 27.