'2018-Everyone is a Hero' India's official entry for Oscars '24

Chennai: Survival drama "2018-Everyone is a Hero", based on the Kerala floods that year, is India's official entry to the Academy Awards 2024, the Film Federation of India announced here on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, Girish Kasaravalli, noted filmmaker and chairperson of the selection committee, said the 16-member jury unanimously selected the Malayalam film to represent the country.

"The jury really represents the film fraternity... It was a pan-Indian selection. And we were happy that we were 16 members and we watched 22 films in one week's time. It was a difficult decision because there were so many good films and we had to analyse to find out which film had better merit. Finally, we decided on '2018 - Everyone is a Hero'," the filmmaker said.

According to Kasaravalli, the film highlights "Indian ethos, situation and people".

"It's a film that talks about a calamity that Kerala faced in 2018. It not only represents India but also the calamity that's happening around the world. The film also excels cinematically and technically," he added.

Lead star Tovino Thomas, who is currently in Amsterdam for the Septimius Awards where he won the best Asian Actor trophy for "2018", said it was time for a double celebration for the team. (PTI)