‘2018’ out of Oscar race; film director Jude Anthany Joseph reacts

Filmmaker Jude Anthany Joseph expressed heartfelt sentiments as his survival drama Malayalam film, '2018 - Everyone is a Hero,' which served as India's official entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category, fell short of making it to the final list of Oscar nominations.

Taking to Instagram, Joseph shared an image of the shortlisted projects with the names of the countries, expressing regret for not securing a spot among the final 15 films. He apologized to his well-wishers and supporters for any disappointment, emphasizing that despite not making the final cut, representing India in the competition has been a dream-like journey.

Joseph acknowledged the rare achievement of being the highest-grossing film and India's official Oscar entry, expressing gratitude to everyone involved in the project. He specifically thanked the Film Federation of India, especially Sir Ravi Kottarakkara, for their support and for selecting the film.

The filmmaker extended appreciation to Indian filmmakers who supported him and mentioned special thanks to various industry figures. He wished the best to the finalists, with a special mention to Sol, the producer of the Armenian film. Joseph concluded by expressing excitement about the upcoming journey, stating, "The inception of the next dream begins today, as the Oscars await, and I am poised to be present."

'2018 - Everyone is a Hero' depicts the true story of the unprecedented rains and floods that hit Kerala in 2018. It stars Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Narain, and Lal. Although the film did not receive an Oscar nomination, it holds the distinction of being India's official entry to the competition.