'Zindagi Tamasha' out of Oscars race

Sarmad Khoosat's Zindagi Tamasha is out of the Oscars 2021 race.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the shortlists for nine categories for the upcoming awards, reported Variety. The categories and number of films include a documentary feature (15), documentary short subject (10), international feature (15), makeup and hairstyling (10), original score (15), original song (15), animated short film (10), live-action short film (10) and visual effects (10).

The shortlist voting concluded on February 5, and the remaining will move on to the official phase one voting, which will take place on March 5-9. The Oscar nominations will be announced on March 15, with the show scheduled to take place on April 25.

The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee had selected Khoosat's 15-minute film to be submitted for Oscar consideration in the 'International Feature Film Award’ category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Directed and co-produced by Khoosat, along with Kanwal Khoosat and written by Nirmal Bano, Zindagi Tamasha features Arif Hassan, Eman Suleman, Samiya Mumtaz and Ali Kureshi. 

Shot in the backdrop of holy celebrations in old Lahore, Zindagi Tamasha is a brave and timely film. It’s an intimate portrait of family and scorching political commentary.

The Oscar committee for 2020 was chaired by two-time Academy Award and Emmy winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and includes Faisal Kapadia, Asad-ul-Haq, Hamza Bangash, Syed Muhammad Ahmed, Mehwish Hayat, Hasan Shehreyar Yasin, Asim Abbasi, Arshad Mahmud and Jamal Shah. 

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