Village Rockstars directed by Rima Das out of Oscars 2019 race

Rima Das' National Award-winning feature Village Rockstars that was chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards is out of the race for the honour.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday announced that nine films have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards, according to the official Oscars website.

The coming-of-age film follows Dhunu, a girl who grows up in poverty and learns to fend for herself. However, that does not prevent her from following her dream of forming a rock band and owning a guitar someday.

The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and has toured more than 70 prestigious international and national film festivals.

India’s Village Rockstars had also won the top honour in the country. At the National Film Awards 2018, the film won Best Feature Film, Best Child Artist, Best Location Sound Recordist and Best Editing.

Iram Haq's Norwegian drama What Will People Say, starring Indian actors is also out of the league.

So far, Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India are the only Indian films that made it to the top five in the Best Foreign language Film category at the Academy Awards.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat, Alia Bhatt starrer Raazi, Rani Mukerji fronted Hichki, Shoojit Sircar's October, Love Sonia directed by Tabrez Noorani, Tumbaad, Halkaa, Kadvi Hawa and latest release Manto were part of the list of 28 films submitted for Oscars.