
10 October 2024 Johannesburg, South Africa - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is proud to announce that the film Old Righteous Blues has been selected to represent South Africa in the Best International Feature Film category at the prestigious 97th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars). This remarkable achievement reflects the immense talent and creativity of the South African film industry, as well as the resilience of storytelling that transcends borders.
The decision was made by the South African Academy Awards Selection Committee after an extensive judging process, which included scored reviews and in-depth deliberations. This year's committee comprised of a diverse panel of seasoned industry professionals from various fields within the film industry, who were submitted to and approved by the Academy. Each submission was rigorously evaluated following the Academy Awards' Best International Feature Film eligibility criteria.
Old Righteous Blues is a deeply moving narrative about a young man's journey to overcome personal limitations and rise above the ghosts of the past to unite a fractured community. Set against the backdrop of a divided town, the film follows the protagonist as he attempts to restore the once-glorious Old Righteous Blues Christmas Choir Band (Kerskoor) to its former stature. However, he is confronted with the long-standing consequences of a bitter feud started by his father two decades earlier, which split the choir in two and devastated the community. For twenty years, street battles ensued, families were torn apart, and loyalties were tested as the two rival bands claimed ownership of the town's Kerskoor with destructive and violent consequences.
Award Winning Director Muneera Sallies says It is an intense glimpse into the life of a young man, a family, and a community. More than that it is an intense glimpse into a journey and into the heart of brotherhood, tapping into immense stores of pain, love, dreams, and courage.
I was drawn to this project from the very first moment I had first picked up the script. I was intrigued and captivated by the characters and their stories within this little community, so much so that I immediately decided to visit and experience the streets of Bo-Dorp Robertson.
Speaking on behalf of the NFVF, ACEO, Lebogang Mogoera expressed the foundation's pride in the selection of Old Righteous Blues for the Oscars submission. This film is a testament to the exceptional storytelling talent within South Africa. We are honoured to have Old Righteous Blues' represent us on such a prestigious global platform, and we believe its universal themes of redemption, community, and overcoming the past will captivate audiences worldwide.
Distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution and pre-sold to kykNet, Old Righteous Blues is a powerful reflection of the complex and often painful dynamics of community, legacy, and redemption. The film, which has been a passion project of Writer Carol Shore for 30 years, is expected to resonate deeply with international audiences, offering a unique and poignant South African perspective on unity and hope amidst division.
Nomsa Philiso, CEO of General Entertainment at the MultiChoice Group, stated, Old Righteous Blues is a powerful reflection of the complex and often painful dynamics of community, legacy and redemption. The film's setting is truly local and the mesmeric writing offers a unique and poignant South African perspective on unity and hope amidst division, she says. MultiChoice is dedicated to telling African stories - produced and told by Africans - and taking them to the rest of the world, where they stand shoulder-to-shoulder alongside other would-be Academy Award contenders .
The world which unfolds in Old Righteous Blues is magical and unique to the rural Western Cape towns where the movie was filmed. The story highlights the richness of South African heritage, while also exploring universal themes of resilience, and identity. These Christmas Choir bands are vehicles for joy and hope which the film captures with grace, warmth and humour. We are thrilled for the teams involved that this beautiful movie will represent the best of South African film-making in the run-up to the Oscars in 2025. , said Waldimar Pelser Channel Director, Premium Channels.
The movie has already won 11 awards at Silwerskermfees, Romford Film Festival 2024 and Panther City Film Festivals. Some of the awards include, Best Supporting Actor Silwerskermfees 2023: Joshwin Dyson, Best Director Romford Film Festival 2024: Muneera Sallies, Best Actor Romford Film Festival 2024: Ayden Croy and Best Supporting Actor Panther City Film Festival 2024: Stefan Erasmus.
The NFVF extends its heartfelt congratulations to the cast, crew, and everyone involved in bringing this incredible story to life. The submission of Old Righteous Blues for the 97th Academy Awards marks another milestone in South Africa's growing prominence on the global film stage, and we look forward to following its journey in the coming months. The Top 11 nominations will be announced on 17 December 2024, and the final Top 5 for the Academy Awards Best International Feature Film category will be announced on the 17 January 2025.
For more information on Old Righteous Blues and South Africa's journey to the Academy Awards, visit the NFVF website https://www.nfvf.co.za/ or follow our social media platforms for updates.
For further information or media inquiries, please contact:
NFVF Representative:
Lerato Mokopanele
Marketing and Communications Manager
National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF)
leratom@nfvf.co.za
0813663880
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
15/06/2025
July 2025 in Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam & London
Photo: Thea Martre
Music Production for Women (MPW) have announced that they will be running a series of fo...
15/06/2025
Composer/producer launches free virtual instruments
Sulcata Sound is the latest venture of Jason Graves, a two-time British Academy Award-winnning composer,...
14/06/2025
NEW YORK Pluto TV and the All Womens Sports Network have launched a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) AWSN channel in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Nor...
14/06/2025
NEW YORK and CINCINNATI E.W. Scripps has announced a new, multiyear agreement with the WNBA that will continue Ions regular-season coverage of the league on Fri...
14/06/2025
WASHINGTON The National Association of Broadcasters highlighted the hidden importance of spectrum in the production of major sporting events and described wha...
14/06/2025
WASHINGTON Sunsetting ATSC 1.0, expanding business opportunities for NextGen Broadcast and increasing international adoption of the ATSC 3.0 standard were top o...
14/06/2025
SAN FRANCISCO Samba TV and Acxiom have announced that they will dramatically expand their longstanding relationship....
14/06/2025
July 2025 in Dublin, Berlin, Amsterdam & London
Photo: Thea Martre
Music Production for Women (MPW) have announced that they will be running a series of fo...
14/06/2025
San Francisco State University's School of Cinema Uses Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton June 13, 2025
0 Comments
More than 40 Blackmagic Design came...
14/06/2025
Boris FX Mocha Pro Adds New AI Tools To Tackle VFX Tasks Fast
Jessie Electa Petrov June 13, 2025
0 Comments
The 2025.5 release helps artists work more...
14/06/2025
AJA Debuts DRM2-Plus Mini-Converter Frame at InfoComm 2025
Brie Clayton June 13, 2025
0 Comments
Next-gen frame addresses diverse rackmount needs wit...
13/06/2025
(L-R) Lindsay Utz, Michelle Walshe, and The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Prime Minister at Eccles T...
13/06/2025
Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima
If you're a true lover of rom-coms, chances...
13/06/2025
Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic spor...
13/06/2025
Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
13/06/2025
ABILENE. Texas A severe storm knocked down the tower and severely damaged the news studio and main facility of Sinclair-owned KTXS here on Sunday, June 8....
13/06/2025
Berklee's Music Business/Management Department Recognized by the Music Biz A...
13/06/2025
WASHINGTON The ATSC, the Broadcast Standards Association, honored veteran technologist Aldo Cugnini and Clarence Hau, Senior Vice President of Standards, Policy...
13/06/2025
(Editor's note: The 2025 UFL Championship Game between the D.C. Defenders and Michigan Panthers kicks off Saturday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern. The game wil...
13/06/2025
New iPad/iPhone synth App announced
Following on from last year's release of Gradient Synth - which reached #6 on the App Store's Paid Music charts ...
13/06/2025
LONDON Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in multiple new countries this July as the streamer becomes available in...
13/06/2025
AI voice transcription and captioning platform Verbit has added a new feature to its Captivate ASR solution the ability to identify specific features in automat...
13/06/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission member Anna Gomez has wrapped up two weeks in California visiting broadcasters, television studio executives, enter...
13/06/2025
WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives voted mostly along party lines to approve a rescission package that would cancel $9.4 billion in previously approve...
13/06/2025
At InfoComm 2025, AJA Video Systems announced DRM2-Plus, an intuitive, high-capacity 3RU frame that can neatly house up to 24 AJA Mini-Converters. Tailored to s...
13/06/2025
Cinema advertising leader to leverage AOS and suite of AI-enabled solutions to optimize forecasting, yield management, and streamlined ad sales and operations a...
13/06/2025
Manfrotto has launched the ONE Hybrid Tripod, a new support system designed specifically for professional content creators working with mirrorless cameras acros...
13/06/2025
Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that its Media Edge Gateway (MEG), an ATSC 3.0 software-based IRD, now supports Device Security requ...
13/06/2025
LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video contribution, production and distribution solutions, is deepening its commitment to the German-speaking market with th...
13/06/2025
Chaos, the leader in architectural visualisation software, today announces Chaos Corona 13, giving archviz designers new ways to add eye-catching style and flai...
13/06/2025
PALI's Nena Music Video Shot with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton June 12, 2025
0 Comments
Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K and DaVinci Resolve Studio b...
13/06/2025
OddBeast Powers Up iRobot's Newest Roombas with Suite of CGI Launch Assets
Brie Clayton June 12, 2025
0 Comments
The motion design and production ...
13/06/2025
On Chick Coreas Birthday, a Newly Uncovered Archival Release The Visitors, composed by Corea and performed by vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Kirill Gers...
13/06/2025
In fulfilment of a recommendation by the Government's Expert Advisory Commit...
13/06/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Backblaze's Gleb Budman Talks Products, Partnerships, and the ...
13/06/2025
SVG Sit-Down: DAZN's Walker Jacobs Calls Streaming the FIFA Club World Cup ...
13/06/2025
New Sponsor Spotlight: Vecima Networks' Paul Strickland on How Improving QoE...
13/06/2025
Pitch Perspective: Where's Next for Specialty Cameras in Soccer? Leaders from Sky Austria and ACS discuss the possibilities of camera placement pitchside B...
13/06/2025
Premiership Rugby Final 2025: Vintage clash between Bath and Leicester gets full...
13/06/2025
Premiership Rugby Final 2025: TNT Sports gears up for Bath vs Leicester battle w...
13/06/2025
NCAA Men's College World Series: ESPN Adds Two-Point SupraCam, Invests in Ne...
13/06/2025
New FSWX signal and spectrum analyzer with novel architecture overcomes limits o...
13/06/2025
Apple today announced the addition of iPad to Self Service Repair, providing iPad owners with access to repair manuals, genuine Apple parts, Apple Diagnostics t...
13/06/2025
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed iOS 26, a major update that brings a beautiful new design, intelligent experiences, and improvements to the apps use...
13/06/2025
At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled Apple Games, an all-new destination designed to help players jump back into the games they...
13/06/2025
Industrial AI isn't slowing down. Germany is ready.
Following London Tech Week and GTC Paris at VivaTech, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang's Europea...
12/06/2025
In 2018, Spotify launched Heart & Soul, a mental health initiative developed to ...
12/06/2025
50 Years Strong: SBS and NITV Supercharge NAIDOC Week 2025 in a joint 50th celeb...