'Until we meet, dear Oscar': '2018' director pens poignant post after setback
In an Instagram post, '2018' director Jude Anthany Joseph wrote a heartfelt message after the Malayalam film failed to make it to the final shortlist of 15 films
‘2018’, the Malayalam film that represented India at the Oscars 2024, failed to make it to the final shortlist of 15 films.
Director Jude Anthany Joseph took to Instagram to apologise to his supporters for disappointing them. He also thanked several people who had supported him.
Joseph also shared the shortlist, which included films from various countries. Additionally, among the potential nominees, a documentary on the Jharkhand rape case made it to the Oscars' tentative list.
The Malayalam director wrote: “Greetings, everyone. The Oscar shortlist has been unveiled, and regrettably, our film '2018- Everyone Is A Hero' did not secure a spot among the final 15 films out of the 88 international language films from across the globe. I sincerely apologise to all my well-wishers and supporters for disappointing you all.”
“Nevertheless, the opportunity to represent India in this competition has been a dream-like journey that I will cherish for a lifetime. Being the highest-grossing film and the official Indian entry to the Oscars is a rare achievement in any filmmaker’s career. I am grateful to God for choosing me for this extraordinary journey. My heartfelt thanks go to the producers, technicians, artists, and the audience for their tremendous support for our film."
He then went on to thank the people who supported him on this journey like the Film Federation Of India, particularly Sir Ravi Kottarakkara, for their boundless support, love, and for selecting our film as India’s official entry. "I express my gratitude to all the Indian filmmakers who supported me on this journey, with special thanks to Pan Nalin, Sidharth Roy Kapoor, Guneet Monga, Rintu Thomas, Ashutosh Gowarikar sir, Resul Pookkutty sir, Anurag Kashyap, Rajamouli sir, Senthi sir and many more. I express my gratitude to all my supporters in Los Angeles and eagerly anticipate the meetings that we have already scheduled. I extend my best wishes to all the finalists, with a special mention to Sol, my dear friend and the producer of the Armenian film,” he added.
“The inception of the next dream begins today, as the Oscars await, and I am poised to be present. Until we meet, dear Oscar,” the director added further.
Fans come out in support
Fans of the movie, however, flooded the comments section with praise for Jude, aiming to uplift his spirits.
“It was a great film. Next one,” wrote one user. “You took a Malayalam Movie This far..that itself is a great journey. Hats off to you and team. Good luck for your next projects!!,” posted another.
Another user mentioned, “Doesn't matter sir, it's still the best movie!!!”. “Already won our hearts,” posted another fan.
‘2018’ is an epic survival drama that revolves around the catastrophic 2018 Kerala floods. Co-written by Jude Anthany Joseph and Akhil P. Dharmajan, the film features a stellar cast including Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Narain, and Lal. Released in May this year, the movie depicts a gripping tale of survival amid the calamitous floods.
(With agency inputs)
