Stephanie Linus, the chairperson of the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC), has revealed the committee’s decision not to submit any film for the ‘International Feature Film’ category of the 2026 Academy Awards (Oscars).
The issue centres on the film ‘My Father’s Shadow,’ directed by Akinola Davies Jr. and Wale Davies.
Despite being a Nigerian story, the film was not put forward by the NOSC for the next year’s Oscars.
Linus revealed the core reason while speaking at a panel session last Tuesday during the Nigeria Film and Videos Censor Board’s 5th Peace Anyam-Osigwe Nigeria Digital Content Regulation Conference (PAO-NDCRC) at Muson Centre, Lagos.
The actress said the film’s financing originated outside of Nigeria, and its international funders retained control over its official submission.
Linus clarified that the producers of ‘My Father’s Shadow’ did not initially submit the film to the NOSC for consideration, as they understood the conditions set by their funders.
She argued that the people who financed the film claimed outright ownership to boost their own industry, not Nigeria’s.
“It is a Nigerian story, but it is not Nigerian money,” she said.
She also addressed the confusion that arose when the film was announced as a Nigerian entry at the Cannes festival, suggesting it may have been a mistake.
“No, I think maybe it is a mistake (that it was announced at Cannes as a Nigerian movie) because the producers did not know that they were going to announce it as a Nigerian film,” she added.
“So if you want your film to be funded, it. You cannot come and benefit when you do not provide money to make the film.
“What if the filmmaker did not make the film? And that is why they did not submit it to the Nigerian Oscar Committee? Because it was not a Nigerian film. So it was not even submitted.”
The clarification follows the NOSC’s announcement in September that no Nigerian film would be submitted for the upcoming Oscars, a decision that sparked significant discussion within the industry.
The situation was further contextualised in October when ‘My Father’s Shadow’ was selected as the United Kingdom’s official submission for the Oscars.
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