'Funny Boy' is Canada's choice for 2021 'Oscars'

Los Angeles: Acclaimed filmmaker Deepa Mehta's upcoming feature 'Funny Boy' will represent Canada at the 93rd 'Academy Awards', that is, for 2021 'Oscars' as the submission for 'Best International Film', which marks the director's second time competing in the category.

Mehta's film 'Water', the third feature in her 'Elements' trilogy, was 'Oscar' nominated in the international feature film category in 2007. The first film in the trilogy was 'Earth' and the director followed it up with 'Fire'.

'Funny Boy' is an adaptation of author Shyam Selvadurai's 1994 novel of the same name. Set in Sri Lanka during the 1970s and 1980s, the film explores the sexual awakening of its young protagonist Arjie (played by Arush Nand/Brandon Ingram) from a young boy, deemed funny by disapproving family and to a teenager enamoured by a male classmate.

As political tensions escalate to a boiling point between the minority Tamils and the majority Sinhalese, the young boy comes of age in society and family that does not embrace difference outside of societal norms.

"11 outstanding films were submitted this year and we are confident that 'Funny Boy' will appeal to 'Academy' members just as Deepa's powerful film 'Water' did in 2007, when it was nominated in this prestigious category," said Christa Dickenson, executive director of 'Telefilm Canada', which chairs the pan-Canadian selection committee deciding the country's entry for the 'Oscars'.