The National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka (NFC), the premier statutory authority regulation and overseeing the Sri Lankan film industry, hereby formally announces the Call for Entries for the selection of Sri Lanka's official submission in the International Feature Film category at the 99th edition of the Academy Awards (OSCARS), scheduled to take place in 2027.

In furtherance of the purpose, the NFC has constituted a dedicated body titled the National Oscars Selection Committee of Sri Lanka (NOSCSL), which has been duly approved by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, USA). The Committee has been mandated to administer, oversee, and facilitate the selection process of Sri Lanka's official submission to the Academy Awards, ensuring full compliance with all prescribed rules, regulations, and international standards, in strict accordance with the regulations of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and in alignment with nationally recognized best practices.

The National Oscars Selection Committee of Sri Lanka (NOSCSL) consists of nine (09) distinguished professionals, all of whom hold Sri Lankan citizenship and possess with recognized expertise across key disciplines of the cinematic arts, including film producing, film directing, film screenwriting, cinematography, film editing, film music, film journalism and criticism, film programming and curation, as well as Sri Lankan film promotion at international film festivals. Notably, a significant majority, comprising eighty-eight per cent (88%) of the Committee members, is presently active within the Sri Lankan filmmaking industry. The members of the Committee have been appointed primarily on the basis of their extensive experience, professional excellence and notable achievements, encompassing both national and international platforms.

The NOSCSL operates independently under the leadership of its Committee Chairperson. The Committee is formally vested with the overseeing the administration and preliminary screening of all submissions, the reviewing of all eligible films, the systematic ranking and voting of such films according to established criteria encompassing artistic merit, storytelling, technical excellence, and cultural significance, and, ultimately, the recommendation and presentation of a single film as the Sri Lanka's official submission to the Academy Awards.

Throughout this process, all Committee members adhere to strict confidentiality regarding the films under consideration, as well as all related discussions and voting outcomes, until the official announcement is made. In the execution of its responsibilities, the Committee is resolutely committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct, including full transparency and the disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest, thereby safeguarding the integrity, credibility, and impartiality of the selection process.

1. The film must be a feature-length production with a running time exceeding 40 minutes and must fall into one of the following categories: a fiction feature film, a documentary feature film, or an animated feature film.
2. The film must be first released theatrically in Sri Lanka for paid admission. The theatrical release must begin no earlier than October 1, 2025, and no later than September 30, 2026, and be first publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater for the profit of the producer and exhibitor. The seven consecutive days of the theatrical release are required to occur in one venue.
3. The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed film must be predominantly (more than 50%) in a language or languages other than English.
4. The film must be able to demonstrate that creative control of the production was largely in the hands of Sri Lankan citizens, Sri Lankan residents or individuals granted refugee or asylum status in Sri Lanka.
• The director or directors of the film must be Sri Lankan citizens, Sri Lankan residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylum status in Sri Lanka.
• At least one of the writers of the film must be a Sri Lankan citizen, a Sri Lankan resident, or an individual granted refugee or asylum status in Sri Lanka.
• The other key creative roles of the film, including the Editor, Director of Photography, Casting Director, Music Director, Production Designer, Art Director, Costume Designer, Make-up Artist, Sound Designer, Visual Effects Designer, and Colorist, must be largely held by Sri Lankan citizens, Sri Lankan residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylum status in Sri Lanka.
• The principal and supporting characters of the movie must be largely portrayed by Sri Lankan citizens, Sri Lankan residents, individuals granted refugee or asylum status in Sri Lanka.
• The financial ownership of the film must be largely held by Sri Lankan citizens, Sri Lankan residents, individuals granted refugee or asylum status in Sri Lanka, or a company duly incorporated in Sri Lanka.

For further information on the complete rules, regulations, and eligibility criteria, applicants are advised to refer to the official Academy Awards Regulations, available at the following link:

• Applicants are requested to visit the official website of the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka (www.nfc.gov.lk) to download the OFFICIAL APPLICATION FORM and obtain detailed information regarding the required submission documents, materials, and application procedures.
• The duly completed Application Form, together with all required submission documents and supporting materials, must be submitted electronically to the following email addresses:
  Primary     : office.noscsl@gmail.com
  CC                 : admin.noscsl@nfc.gov.lk / chairperson.noscsl@gmail.com
• The film submissions will be accepted from Monday, 24 August 2026, at 9:00 a.m. until Monday, 21 September 2026, at 4:00 p.m.

The selected film will be officially announced by (NOSCSL) on 28 September 2026.