UK Selects Santosh for International Feature Race
The U.K. has chosen Santosh, a police procedural from director Sandhya Suri, to represent the country at the 2025 Oscars in the best international feature category.
Shahana Goswami stars as Santosh, a young Hindu widow who takes on her husband’s role as a police constable through a government program. She becomes entangled in institutional corruption while working with Inspector Sharma (Sunita Rajwar) on a murder case involving a teenage girl from the Dalit community.
Santosh premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section and was acquired for North America by Metrograph Pictures. The Hollywood Reporter praised the film as “gripping and engrossing,” particularly highlighting Suri’s screenplay for its effective storytelling.
Santosh is Suri’s first narrative feature following her successful documentary I For India (2005) and award-winning short film The Field. The U.K. has previously had three films nominated in the best international feature category, winning its first Oscar this year with The Zone of Interest.
The Academy will announce the 2025 Oscar shortlist, including international feature contenders, on December 17. Nominations will be revealed on Jan. 17, 2025, with the 97th Academy Awards scheduled for Sunday, March 2.