The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced that British-Indian film director Sandhya Suri’s ‘Santosh’, a police thriller set in Uttar Pradesh, will represent the United Kingdom in the International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards also known as the Oscars.
‘Santosh’ premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival and has garnered critical acclaim for its portrayal of a newly widowed housewife, played by Shahana Goswami, who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable.
The film explores her moral dilemmas as she investigates the murder of a young girl, delving into complex themes of class, caste, and intolerance. The selection comes after the UK’s win earlier this year with ‘The Zone of Interest’, continuing its success in this category.
Suri, a London-based filmmaker with Indian heritage, filmed ‘Santosh’ in and around Lucknow, India, over a period of 44 days. The film is also in contention for the First Film Competition Sutherland Award at the upcoming BFI London Film Festival (LFF).
Born and raised in Darlington, England, Suri expressed her deep connection to India, a country her father cherished. Following its screening at LFF and UK release, plans are underway for the film to be released in India.
The film was produced by James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay, Mike Goodridge, and Alan McAlex, while executive producers were Ama Ampadu, Martin Gerhard, Lucia Haslauer, Diarmid Scrimshaw, and Eva Yates. It was co-financed by Good Chaos, Razor Film Produktion, Haut et Court, BBC Film, and BFI.
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