'Jallikattu' out of 'Best International Feature' category

New Delhi: 'Jallikattu', which was India's official entry in the 'Best International Feature' category at the 93rd Academy Awards, got out of the 'Oscars' list. However, the short Indian film 'Bittu' advanced to the next round in the 'Best Live Action Short Film' segment.

"'Jallikattu', a Malayalam-language movie directed by filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery is not part of the shortlist of 15 features that will be vying for a spot in the final five," announced the 'Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS).

'Jallikattu' is based on the short story Maoist by Hareesh and stars Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad and Santhy Balachandran.

Based on a true story, 'Bittu' is a short film about a close friendship between two girls, eclipsed by an accident at their school. It is presented by 'Indian Women Rising' (IWR), a cinema collective that was recently formed by filmmakers Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana and Ruchikaa Kapoor.

"'Bittu' is now shortlisted for the 93rd Academy Awards," said producer Guneet Monga in a post on 'Instagram'.

She added, "I'm so grateful for 'Bittu' and our incredible team. Say a little prayer and wish us luck for the next round of nominations."

The final nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced on March 15.