India’s ‘Homebound’ Reaches Oscar Shortlist Of 15
LOS ANGELES, CA – As Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa’s film ‘Homebound’ moves closer to the Oscars, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese has said he was “deeply moved” by the story, which has earned a spot among 15 films shortlisted for the International Feature Film category.
The Academy Awards announced on X that “fifteen films advanced to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category.”
India’s ‘Homebound’ is contending alongside Argentina’s ‘Belén’, Brazil’s ‘The Secret Agent’, France’s ‘It Was Just an Accident’, Germany’s ‘Sound of Falling’, Iraqi film ‘The President’s Cake’, Japan’s ‘Kokuho’, Jordan’s ‘All That’s Left of You’, Norwegian film ‘Sentimental Value’, Palestine’s ‘Palestine 36’, South Korea’s ‘No Other Choice’, Spanish film ‘Sirât’, Switzerland’s ‘Late Shift’, Taiwan’s ‘Left-Handed Girl’ and Tunisia’s ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’.
Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22..
As the Neeraj Ghaywan film advances in its contention for the award, Scorsese shared a video of him in conversation with the National Award-winning filmmaker about the movie.
Scorsese wrote in the caption: “I’m very happy to be associated as an Executive Producer on ‘Homebound’ (@homeboundthefilm), shortlisted in the Best International Feature category at this year’s Academy Awards. I was deeply moved by this true story of two young men whose friendship and search for dignity speak to the need for empathy and human connection in a divided world.”
“I remember working on the script with you. And so, in a way, I’ve been living with it for about three years. And so, for me, it’s part of — I don’t know, quite honestly — it’s very satisfying that it’s here. I’d love the audiences in America to see this picture, because I know that it’s based on a real story. And what was interesting to me, too, was that I didn’t know the story,” he said.
He added: “I mean, aside from all of us suffering through COVID, the tragedy of the image, you also, beyond the tragedy, deal with the joy of these two characters, the joy of these two young men, and the joy of life. I’m impressed by how you related to the story that way, and your approach to the telling of the story — not as a ponderous kind of lecture. You will have people who agree with you.”
“You know, in a case like this, you go at it from the humanity of these two kids, plus their families,” Scorsese said.
Ghaywan said that when he approached the project, he realized the way to tell the story was to “eschew sloganeering, political grandstanding, and sermons.”
“I felt that the vehicle of friendship is so potent that when you do that, it is an act of resistance. Connection is a form of resistance. There’s a lot of hate going on. We’re labelling people, pigeonholing them into certain things. We say, ‘I don’t like the way you look. I don’t like where you came from. I don’t like what you eat, what you pray.’ That hate has gone too far,” the director said in the clip.
He concluded: “I think it’s about time that we sit across from our adversary and empathize with the adversary too. We can ideologically disagree, we can have different worldviews, but we cannot forget the humanity that exists between us. That was the intent with this film.”
Ghaywan later responded in Scorsese’s comment section, writing: “Sir, I will forever be grateful for your kindness and unswerving generosity. Your insights during the writing and editing have been invaluable and have shaped the film to be liked by so many across the world!”
Actor Ishaan Khatter also expressed his gratitude.
“As a young actor from anywhere in the world, to have a nod of approval from your masterful gaze is a blessing to cherish for a lifetime. Thank you for your grace, sir. Your presence and contribution to our film is priceless. Only love and respect,” he wrote. (IANS)
