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British Academy selects ‘Santosh’ for Oscars submission
A new contender from the UK
The British Academy has chosen Sandhya Suri’s critically acclaimed crime thriller, Santosh, as the United Kingdom’s submission for the Oscars’ international feature film category. This Hindi-language film, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard competition at Cannes earlier this year, enters the race with heightened expectations. The UK recently celebrated its first win in this category with Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest.
A gripping narrative set in rural India
Santosh marks the directorial feature debut of British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri, who is renowned for her documentaries I for India (2005) and Around India with a Movie Camera (2018). The film is set in rural northern India and follows the story of Santosh, a newly-widowed woman who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable. The plot thickens when an underage girl from one of India’s so-called “lower castes” is murdered, drawing Santosh into a complex investigation led by a charismatic feminist inspector.
Stellar cast and crew
Written and directed by Suri, Santosh features Shahana Goswami in the lead role, supported by Sunita Rajwar. The film’s score is composed by Luisa Gerstein, with cinematography by Lennert Hillege and editing by Maxime Pozzi-Garcia. The production team includes James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay, Mike Goodridge, and Alan McAlex, while executive producers are Ama Ampadu, Martin Gerhard, Lucia Haslauer, Diarmid Scrimshaw, and Eva Yates. The film was co-financed by Good Chaos, Razor Film Produktion, Haut et Court, BBC Film, and BFI.
Industry acclaim and future prospects
In a review, Santosh was praised for being “whip smart” and for its commitment to capturing “the ugly allure of power through the perspective of those who wield it.” The film is set to be released in the U.S. by Metrograph Pictures.
Historical context and significance
Before the success of The Zone of Interest, the UK had limited achievements in the Academy Awards’ best international film category, previously known as best foreign language film. The country had only secured two nominations from 20 submissions: Hedd Wyn in 1993 and Solomon & Gaenor in 1999, both Welsh-language titles.
A promising future
The selection of Santosh for the Oscars submission not only highlights the growing recognition of diverse narratives but also underscores the increasing prominence of British-Indian filmmakers in the global cinema landscape. With its compelling storyline and strong performances, Santosh is poised to make a significant impact.
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