Big news for Indian cinema! The Film Federation of India has chosen the Malayalam film ‘2018’ as India’s official entry for the 2024 Academy Awards. This movie, directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, tells the story of the devastating floods that hit Kerala in 2018 and the people who fought to survive.
‘2018’ (also known as ‘2018: Everyone is a Hero’) was released in May 2023 and boasts a star-studded cast including Vineeth Sreenivasan, Asif Ali, Lal, Tovino Thomas, Narain, and Kunchacko Boban. It will compete in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.
Girish Kasaravalli, filmmaker and chairman of the selection committee, explained that ‘2018’ was chosen because of its important theme about climate change and the struggles of ordinary people in the face of what society calls progress.
The selection committee, consisting of 16 members, had to pick from 22 films in various languages, including Bollywood hits like ‘The Kerala Story,’ ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,’ and ‘Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway,’ as well as films from Telugu, Marathi, and Tamil.
‘2018’ didn’t just win hearts; it also raked in over Rs1,000 million worldwide in just ten days after its release. The makers expressed their gratitude to the audience for their support.
In Kerala, ‘2018’ made history by becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever, surpassing the blockbuster ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.’
