‘All We Imagine as Light has a chance at Best Original Screenplay’: Pan Nalin

Kani Kusruti (left) and Divya Prabha in a scene We imagine everything as light

Everything starts with a good film. If your film is good and original, it can travel. But this is not enough. When? last movie show (also known as a coming-of-age drama chailo show) became India’s official entry for the 2023 Oscars, I realized that being on the other side was a whole new experience.

The Academy Awards are voted on by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a group of industry professionals of which I am a member. But there is a very organized ecosystem when it comes to Oscar campaigns, and according to me your film has to be supported by three key elements. The first is the studio that is going to distribute your film, which could be an OTT platform like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney, etc. Those studios get the second most important element, the publicist.

Filmmaker Pan Nalin

Oscar campaigners have become extremely powerful in the last five years, because they design the entire strategy according to your film, and this will cost you a lot. So, money is the third element. My analysis is that, at a minimum, to run a good Oscar campaign, you need $1.7 million. You need to pay attention to factors like press screenings, conferences, minimum advertising in publications for Academy members LA Times, Diversity And others. So, while you may have a good film, what matters is how many Academy members have seen it. And this is the biggest fight. During Oscar season, they have 300-400 movies to watch, and the industry (which constitutes the voters) is extremely busy at work. So if they watch the film and it’s good, it will stay with them.

behind the scenes

when we were there in 2022 last movie showOur direct competition was with the films of Netflix and Amazon Prime. They had a budget of $11-$12 million for the Oscar campaign. Take for example, Emilia Perez This year, directed by Jacques Audiard. I believe its campaign budget will be between $10-$15 million. In LA, there are places where a screening can cost you $80,000. Now that I know how the campaign works, I’m surprised we even got shortlisted.

Zoe Saldana (center) in a scene Emilia Perez

Time and money are the two most important factors for any shortlisted film. It is like any other political campaign. In my opinion, Hollywood has legitimized corruption, and that is both good and bad. This means they will officially tell you, if you want a cover story, this is what it will cost. Or do you want to join the Directors Roundtable – who else is director Alejandro G. Wouldn’t want to sit next to Iñárritu? But then we were presented with a bill for $32,000 and I had to get out. Ultimately there were only eight directors at that roundtable, because seven of us did not have a budget. You have to be everywhere and everything costs money.

Also, in my opinion, India should decide on its official entry by the end of July or beginning of August. Then films like Reema Das Village Rockstar (India’s official entry at the Oscars 2019), those who don’t have money can at least use time to tell a story. Additionally, many countries such as Italy, Ireland, South Korea, France, Germany and Denmark approve large sums of money for Oscar campaigns. For them, it’s like sending their athletes to the Olympics!

from still Village Rockstar

Bet on Kapadia

So, how do the films emerge in the final round? I think it’s writer-driven and if there’s outside-the-box thinking, or if you’ve gone against the mainstream, you get noticed. With films like this, it’s likely to happen again this year brutalist,

In a scene from Guy Pearce brutalist

And what are the prospects for Payal Kapadia? We imagine everything as lightBecause it already comes with the Cannes tag? I think he has a chance at the Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture categories, especially if the Academy decides to nominate more in this category this time. And probably the best director.

by documentary and feature filmmaker Pan Nalin in December 2022 last movie show Became the fourth film in Indian cinema history to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards

As told to Rosella Stephen