A Rare Double Contender: How India Secured Two Films in the Oscar Best International Feature Race

For decades, the route to the Oscar for Best International Feature Film has followed a straightforward path: each country selects a single film to represent it at the Academy Awards. However, India has broken the mold this year with two films entering the race for the 99th Academy Awards, scheduled for March next year.

The Marathi thriller Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, was chosen from 33 contenders as India's official submission. Meanwhile, Theja Rio's Nagaland-set drama Angh has secured its own path to contention after winning the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.

This unique situation is the result of a significant rule change introduced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 2027 Oscars, which establishes a second pathway into the best international feature category. Under these new guidelines, countries and regions continue to select one official submission through their Academy-approved selection committees. Yet, non-English-language films can now also qualify if they win one of six designated prizes at major international film festivals.

These qualifying accolades include the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Best Film award at the Busan International Film Festival, the Palme d'Or at Cannes, the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the Platform Prize at Toronto, and the Golden Lion at Venice. Consequently, Angh's victory in Toronto has provided a separate route into the exact same Oscar race as Gondhal.

Set in the 1960s in Nagaland, a north-east Indian region rarely depicted on screen, Angh centers on an ageing Konyak village chief and his son as their traditional way of life faces disruption from the arrival of an American Christian missionary. The feature directorial debut by Theja Rio grew out of a short film he made in 2018 and was among the contenders considered for India's official submission prior to the selection of Gondhal.

On the other hand, Gondhal is rooted in the traditional Maharashtrian ritual and folk performance from which it takes its title. Set during a traditional Gondhal ceremony in rural Maharashtra, the film follows Suman as she attempts to escape an abusive marriage by conspiring with her lover to kill her husband and start anew. Selected by the Film Federation of India, the film also earned Santosh Davakhar the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the International Film Festival of India.

The Academy announced these sweeping changes in May during a broader overhaul of rules for the 99th Oscars. Previously, the international feature category relied exclusively on national committees, meaning acclaimed films could easily miss out if another production was chosen to represent their home country. Furthermore, starting from the 99th Oscars, the film itself will officially be credited as the nominee rather than the country or region, with the director accepting the award on behalf of the creative team.

Both Gondhal and Angh must still navigate the Academy's rigorous voting process before securing a spot in the final five nominees for best international feature. The submission deadline is September 30, followed by preliminary voting from December 7 to 11 and the shortlist announcement on December 15. Nominations voting will take place from January 11 to 15, with the final five nominees revealed on January 21 ahead of the 99th Academy Awards ceremony on March 14, 2027.