Hollywood Reporter pits ‘Moor’ for Oscar

Publication lists Pakistani film among 12 contenders for Foreign Language Category

KARACHI: If breath-taking visuals accompanied by a true human drama were not enough, fans of the Pakistani film Moor have another reason to rejoice. Recently world’s prime film publication, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) put Moor among its dark horses for winning the academy award for Best Foreign Language Film.

THR, which was the first-ever Hollywood focused entertainment paper has made a list of 12 films that could make it to the Oscars and the “off-the-radar international titles to watch as awards season heats up.”

The list also includes films from South Korea, Thailand, Iceland, Romania, Japan and Singapore, among other countries.

Jami, who is in Goa these days for the Indian premier of his film, is ecstatic about being enlisted among the dark horses but opts to remain grounded for now.

Review: Moor power to Pakistani cinema

“It’s a huge surprise honestly,” Jami tells The Express Tribune. “Be it Operation 021 or Moor, I am always skeptical about the response to the kind of movies I like to make.”

But the overwhelming response Moor has received across the globe gave him the strength to continue push his vision on the silver screen.

“I am gaining courage to believe in my style of filmmaking,” says Jami, adding it’s important to make movies that just don’t revolve around ‘what’s in’. “Knowing the Oscars, it takes a huge campaign to get nominated and I’m not sure if we can make the cut. But being considered by THR is uplifting.”