The UK has officially chosen British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s Santosh as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Oscars. According to Deadline, the selection was made by The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), which is responsible for picking the UK’s submission for the prestigious award.
Santosh marks the feature directorial debut of Sandhya Suri, who is best known for her documentaries I for India (2005) and Around India with a Movie Camera (2018). Written and directed by Sandhya, the film stars Shahana Goswami in the lead role, with Sunita Rajwar in a prominent role. The production team behind the film includes Luisa Gerstein, who composed the score, Lennert Hillege as the cinematographer, and Maxime Pozzi-Garcia handling the editing.
Sandhya Suri’s Santosh Chosen as UK’s Official Entry For 2025 Oscars
Santosh became eligible for the UK’s official selection due to its wide release in the country and its backing by British producers. The film is produced by Mike Goodridge, James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay, and Alan McAlex. Executive producers include Ama Ampadu, Eva Yates, Diarmid Scrimshaw, Lucia Haslauer, and Martin Gerhard.
The production companies involved are Good Chaos, along with co-producers Razor Film and Haut et Court, and the film was financed by the BFI (British Film Institute) and BBC Film. The UK often selects non-English language films for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, as a non-English dialogue is a key requirement.
All About Santosh
Written and directed by Sandhya Suri, Santosh is an investigative thriller set in rural Northern India. The plot revolves around Santosh, a newly widowed woman who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable. As she steps into this new role, she becomes deeply involved in the investigation of a young girl’s murder. The gripping storyline highlights the challenges faced by Santosh as she navigates her new responsibilities.
The film, starring Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, had its premiere under the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
Santosh will now go up against Laapataa Ladies and numerous other international films in the race for an Oscar nomination. The Academy will announce the final five films competing for the Best International Feature Film category in January 2025.
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