Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7 (IANS): Acclaimed filmmaker Blessy is thrilled after receiving news that his ambitious project, The Goat Life -- the country’s largest-ever desert film -- has made it to the final shortlist for nominations at the 97th Academy Awards.

The film is competing in the Best Film category, aiming to secure a spot among the top 10 finalists to proceed to the final round of nominations.

Speaking to IANS, Blessy shared his excitement. He said, “This is incredible news for all of us who worked on this project. Even making it onto this shortlist is an achievement in itself. We began screening the film for Academy members in the US and Europe back in November. In Los Angeles alone, we held 15 screenings.”

Blessy added, “The positive reviews we received during the screenings were heartening. Voting begins tomorrow and will continue for a week. Regardless of the outcome, being recognized at this level is a tremendous honour for everyone involved.”

The Goat Life has already made waves by breaking records, grossing Rs 100 crore within just nine days of its release. The film premiered on 1,720 screens globally last year.

Blessy revealed that the story of the film had been with him for 17 years. However, production faced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Produced by Visual Romance, The Goat Life boasts a star-studded cast including Prithviraj, Hollywood actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, Indian stars Amala Paul and K.R. Gokul, and celebrated Arab actors Talib al Balushi and Rik Aby.

The film's music and sound design have been crafted by Academy Award winners A.R. Rahman and Resul Pookutty, further enhancing its global appeal.

The film is about an Indian man who goes to Saudi Arabia seeking work only to find himself forced to labour without pay as a goat herder in the remote desert.