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The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee has officially opened its call for submissions for the 98th Academy Awards. Local filmmakers are invited to submit their films for consideration in the International Feature Film Award category by 5pm on August 15.

The International Feature Film category recognises feature-length motion pictures produced outside the US, with a predominantly (over 50 per cent) non-English dialogue track. Eligible entries may include animated and documentary films as long as they meet the required standards set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

The selection committee comprises individuals selected through private nominations and referrals, per a press release. Nominators are film professionals, predominantly filmmakers, as well as artists and craftspeople with expertise in the film industry. The chairperson presents a list of potential selection committee members to the International Feature Film Executive Committee for their final approval.

The committee ensures that every member individually watches the films and casts their votes, following a process similar to the Academy’s. The chair and their team then tally the votes and collaborate with the Academy to support filmmakers in submitting their films successfully. The committee will choose one film as Pakistan’s official submission for the award.

Previous submissions include The Glassworker, Joyland, and In Flames.

To qualify, films must be publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial cinema either within the country of origin or abroad, excluding the US and its territories, between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.

The film must be advertised and exploited during its qualifying theatrical release in a manner considered customary to theatrical feature distribution practices. Films that have had any form of non-theatrical public release, such as on broadcast or cable TV, via streaming, online or as part of in-flight airline entertainment, before this theatrical run will not be eligible.

Filmmakers are encouraged to carefully review the eligibility criteria and ensure all technical and release requirements are met. The dialogue track must be primarily in a non-English language, and all films must include accurate and legible English subtitles.

For detailed rules, visit the Academy Awards website. Filmmakers can request entry forms, submission guidelines, and send their queries to oscarsubmissions.pk@gmail.com.