Aamir Khan's hit directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, which was India's official entry to the Oscars, did not make it beyond the initial rounds of screening in the Best Foreign Film category. This film was selected over other critically acclaimed films such as A Wednesday, Rock On, Telugu film Ghanya, Mumbai Meri Jaan, etc.
This year, in the 81st Academy Awards, out of the 65 films that qualified in the category, only 9 films will go to the next round of voting. India's nomination — Taare Zameen Par — did not figure in the nine films shortlisted for the next round. Much hopes were put on Khan's film, especially after A R Rahman won the Golden Globe for the Best Music score in Slumdog Millionaire.
One of the films out of the nine shortlisted films features the acclaimed Israeli documentary Waltz with Bashir directed by Ari Folman, which won the Golden Globe for the Best Foreign Film category. The films were chosen by a committee comprising several hundred Academy members. The 9 shortlisted films will go through another round of voting and then only 5 films will be nominated and in the running for the 81st Annual Academy Award in the Best Foreign Film category. The 5 nominees will be announced on January 22.
The 9 shortlisted films:
3 Monkeys, Nuri Bilge Ceylan (director) — Turkey
Departures, Yojiro Takita (director) — Japan
Everlasting Moments, Jan Troell (director) — Sweden
Revanche, Gotz Spielmann (director) — Austria
Tear This Heart Out, Roberto Sneider (director) — Mexico
The Necessities of Life, Benoit Pilon(director) — Canada
The Class, Laurent Cantet (director) — France
The Baader Meinhof Complex, Uli Edel (director) — Germany
Waltz with Bashir, Ari Folman(director) — Israel
