In the Academy’s shortlist announcements for the 97th Academy Awards today, two African narratives advanced in major categories.
Mati Diop’s “Dahomey” is shortlisted in both Documentary Feature Film and International Feature Film (as Senegal’s entry), while Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez’s “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” advances in Documentary Feature Film.
This continues momentum from the previous year when Tunisia’s “Four Daughters” achieved similar dual-category recognition.
The shortlists were culled from 169 eligible documentary submissions and entries from 85 countries in the International Feature Film category, where nine African nations submitted films this year: Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.
Nominations voting begins January 8, 2025, with final nominations to be announced on January 17, 2025.
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, USA.