Film Federation opens applications for India's entry to 99th Academy Awards

The Film Federation of India (FFI) has opened applications for films seeking to represent India at the 99th Academy Awards (2027) in the International Feature Film category. The submission window opened on August 4 and will remain open until September 7, 2026, at 6 pm.On Tuesday, the FFI addressed the media and shared that they will soon appoint a chairman of the jury along with senior members from the creative field. The final selection will be made through a vote after the participating films have been screened by the jury, with India’s official entry to be announced on September 19.Abhay Sinha, President of the Film Federation of India, said the federation will ensure that the selection process is accessible to participating filmmakers. “The FFI will provide all the help to the producers to have a smooth, democratic and transparent nomination process. We welcome more and more films to participate in the run to get nominated as India’s entry into Oscars this year.”How can a film enterAs per the FFI’s submission guidelines, films must have been theatrically released in India between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026. They must have been publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial cinema theatre. Films that have not been released by the September 7 submission deadline can also apply, provided the producers and distributors undertake to give the film a minimum seven-day theatrical run before September 30. The guidelines state that the producer and artists or technicians from India must hold Indian passports, while the content must be at least 60 per cent in a local dialect or an Indian language. Producers will also have to submit proof of theatrical release, the cast and crew list, a synopsis, an English-subtitled version of the film, details of festival selections or awards, and the film’s website or official page.The submission fee has been fixed at Rs 1,25,000, with 18 per cent GST applicable, taking the total to Rs 1,47,500. English subtitles are mandatory for every submitted film. The Academy’s rules for the International Feature Film category define an eligible film as a feature-length motion picture of more than 40 minutes, produced outside the United States and its territories, with more than 50 per cent of its dialogue in a language other than English. Animated and documentary features are also eligible.The next stageThe Academy will determine the International Feature Film nominees through two rounds of voting. In the preliminary round, Academy members will vote for up to 15 films, with the 15 highest-voted films advancing to the shortlist. Members will then view all 15 shortlisted films and vote for up to five, which will become the final nominees for Oscars 2027.Last year, Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound was picked as India’s official entry.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Aug 11, 2026 17:22 IST