“Four Daughters”, “The Mother of All Lies”, and Two Other African Films Shortlisted For the 2024 Oscars

Final voting is slated for February 22nd to 27th, while the grand ceremony for the 96th annual Academy Awards is scheduled to hold in March, 2024.

By Helena Olori

Tunisia and Morocco’s Oscars entries, Four Daughters, and The Mother of All Lies, have been shortlisted to advance to the second round of voting for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars as the stiff race for the award continues.

A few months back, 12 outstanding films from Africa, including CJ Obasi’s Mami Wata and Baloji’s Augure (Omen) – though nominated by Belgium – set out to represent their countries and were among the 88 films qualified for the category this year. However, Tunisia and Morocco’s entries – both documentaries – are the only African films among the 15 films shortlisted in this category.

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To arrive at the shortlist, members of the Academy, grouped into seven, are required to watch and rank 12-13 assigned films, rating them in order of their preference. A second round of voting, open to all members, will determine the final five nominees, in favour of the films with the best profiles.

Four Daughters, a fiction-infused docuseries directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, was also shortlisted for the Documentary Feature category, alongside the Moses Bwayo-directed Bobi Wine: The People’s President, which chronicles the life of the Ugandan activist, Bobi Wine.

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Also making an appearance in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists is Nigerian-born Misan Harriman’s directorial debut, The After, shortlisted in the Live Action Short Film category.

Voting for the Academy Award nomination will run from January 11 to 16, followed by the official nomination announcement on January 23. Final voting is slated for February 22nd to 27th, while the grand ceremony for the 96th annual Academy Awards is scheduled to be held in March, 2024.