India's 'Homebound' Oscar Shortlist Thrills Scorsese, Who Calls It 'Deeply Moving'

The Academy Award announced on X that "fifteen films advanced to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category."

India's Homebound is contending alongside Argentina's BELÉN, Brazil's THE SECRET AGENT, IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT from France, Germany's SOUND OF FALLING, Iraqi film THE PRESIDENT'S CAKE, Japan's KOKUHO, Jordan's ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU, Norwegian film SENTIMENTAL VALUE, Palestine's PALESTINE 36, South Korea's NO OTHER CHOICE, Spanish movie SIRT, Switzerland's LATE SHIFT, Taiwan's LEFT-HANDED GIRL and Tunisia's THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB.

"Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22nd," the tweet mentioned.

As the Neeraj Ghaywan film advances towards the Oscar, Scorsese took to Instagram, where he shared a video of him having a conversation about the movie with the National Award-winning filmmaker.

Scorsese wrote in the caption section: "I'm very happy to be associated as an Executive Producer on HOMEBOUND ( @homeboundthefilm ), shortlisted in the Best International Feature category at this year's Academy Awards. I was deeply moved by this true story of two young men whose friendship and search for dignity speak to the need for empathy and human connection in a divided world."

Martin Scorsese said in the clip that he remembers reading the script for Homebound.

"I remember working on the script with you. And so in a way, I've been living with it for about three years. And so for me, it's part of, I don't know, quite honestly, it's very satisfying that it's here. I love the audiences in America to see this picture, because I know that it's based on a real story. And what was interesting to me, too, was that, you know, I didn't know the story."

He added: "I mean, aside from all of us suffering through COVID, that the tragedy of the image, you also, beyond the tragedy, you deal with the joy of the two of these characters, the joy of these two young men, and the joy of life. I'm impressed by how you related to the story that way, and your approach to the telling of the story, but that way, rather than a ponderous kind of lecture, you will, you will have a peep, you will have people who agree with you who agree with you."

"You know, in a case like this, you go at it from the humanity of these two kids, plus their families."

Ghaywan said that when he approached it, he realized that the way to see this film would be to "eschew from sloganeering, from political grandstanding and saying out sermons and statements."

"And I felt that the vehicle of friendship is so potent, that when you do that, it is an act of resistance. Connection is a form of resistance. There's a lot of hate going on. We're labeling people, we're pigeonholing them into certain things. We say that, I don't like the way you look. I don't like the way you came from. I don't like what you eat, what you pray. That hate has gone too far," the director said in the clip.

He concluded: "I think it's about time that we sit across from our adversary and empathize with the adversary too. You know, because it's important to have, understand the point of, yes, we can ideologically disagree, we can have different worldviews, but we cannot forget the humanity that exists between us. And that was intent with this film."

Ghaywan then took to Scorsese's comment section and wrote: "Sir, I will forever be grateful for your kindness and unswerving generosity. Your insights during the writing and editing have been invaluable and have shaped the film to be liked by so many across the world!"

Actor Ishaan Khatter expressed his gratitude.

"As a young actor from anywhere in the world, to have a nod of approval from your masterful gaze is a blessing to cherish for a lifetime. Thank you for your grace, sir. Your presence and contribution on our film is priceless. Only love and respect," he wrote in the comment section.

The film tells the story of Shoaib and Chandan, who are childhood friends from a small village in North India who dream of becoming police officers, hoping that the job will bring them the respect they never had. However, as they come closer to their goal, pressure and struggles create problems in their friendship.

- IANS