NOSC: Veteran Nollywood Actress, Stephanie Linus (Nee Okereke), has received a global award by Oscars as the chairperson of the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC), for the Best International Feature Film category.
The Nollywood star actress was appointed to replace Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi, NOSC founder who officially stepped down as the chairperson, right after the Committee secured Oscars’ re-approval to be part of the preparation for the 96th edition of the Academy Awards to be held in 2024.
NOSC had also restructured the 14-member team by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, AMPAS.
The reconstructed NOSC has the following members; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Dr. Chidia Maduekwe; veteran Nollywood actress, Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde; the President of the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Dr. Victor Okhai; former President of DGN, Mr. Andy Amenechi; theater practitioner, Yibo Koko, writer/director, Izu Ojukwu, among others.
‘Stephanie Onyekachi Okereke Linus was born on October 1982. She is a Nigerian actress, film director and model. She has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the 2003 Reel Award for Best Actress, the 2006 Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress, and three nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010.’
She was also the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant of 2002.
In 2011, she was honoured by the Nigerian government with a national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR’
‘Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) is an organization whose mission is to recognize and celebrate the art of cinema by showcasing Nigerian films and filmmakers to the Academy Awards and compete with other countries of the world for the Oscars award for the category of the best international feature.
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FILM SELECTION PROCESS
The film selection process at the NOSC involves several steps to ensure that films meet the Academy Rule 13 criteria and to allow committee members to vote on the selected films through an open ballot.
Here’s an elaborate overview of the process:
Call for Submissions: The NOSC committee initiates the process by issuing a public call for film submissions, through various mediums, e.g. newspapers, radio, tv, and social media, guilds, film forum, to ensure that filmmakers get the information that the portal for submission is opened
This call is open to filmmakers, production houses, and distributors to submit their eligible films for consideration. The submission period is usually specified with a deadline.
Eligibility Check: Once the submissions are received, the NOSC’s administrative team reviews each film to verify its eligibility based on the criteria set by Academy Rule 13. This includes criteria such as the film’s release date, language, genre, running time, and other relevant factors.
Film Viewing and Evaluation: Committee members are assigned films to watch based on their expertise and interests. The committee members watch all the submitted films that meet the Oscar criteria.
They are provided with access to the films through secure screening platforms or physical screenings at designated venues. Each committee member watches the films independently and evaluates them based on specific criteria, including storytelling, direction, cinematography, acting, sound design, and overall impact.
Open Discussion: After viewing the films, the committee members gather for an open discussion. This allows them to share their impressions, insights, and thoughts about the films they’ve watched. The discussion fosters a comprehensive understanding of each film’s strengths and weaknesses and helps in making informed decisions during the voting process.
Voting Process: To ensure transparency and accountability, the committee members cast their votes through an open ballot system. Each member has the opportunity to vote for their preferred films.
The voting process is supervised by NOSC officials to maintain fairness and integrity.
Tallying of Votes: Once all the votes are cast, NOSC officials tally the votes for each film.
The films with the highest number of votes in their respective categories become the official selection of the NOSC.
Votes once cast and tallied are final and cannot be changed. The decision reached at the time of voting is FINAL.
Announcement of Selections: The NOSC announces the final selected films, which will be considered for various awards and recognitions. These films are often showcased in NOSC festivals, events, and screenings to promote them to a wider audience.
The elaborate selection process at the NOSC ensures that the most deserving films that meet the Academy Rule 13 criteria are recognized and celebrated, contributing to the enrichment and promotion of the cinematic arts within the country.’