Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light shortlisted by France for Oscars 2025

All We Imagine As Light, directed by Payal Kapadia, has been selected by France to represent the country at the 2025 Academy Awards.

The film, which won the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, follows the lives of two Malayali nurses living in Mumbai.

It features a cast that includes Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, Azees Nedumangad, and Tintumol Joseph.

The film is a collaborative effort between French and Indian production companies, including Petit Chaos, Chalk & Cheese Films, BALDR Film, Les Films Fauves, Another Birth, Pulpa Films, and Arte France Cinéma. The co-producer, Zico Maitra, also confirmed that All We Imagine As Light has been submitted for selection to represent India at the Oscars as well.

Maitra expressed his pride in the film's global resonance, particularly after becoming the first Indian film in 30 years to compete at Cannes. He stated, “It would be a great honor to represent India at the Academy Awards. The themes are global, but this is a story rooted in Mumbai and the lives of women in India.”

All We Imagine As Light made history as the first Indian film by a female director to be part of the Cannes main competition, receiving an eight-minute standing ovation at its premiere on May 23, 2024. The film was also showcased at the Munich International Film Festival.