Movies
National award winning Marathi film ‘Court’ is India’s entry for Oscars
NEW DELHI: The National Award winning Marathi film Court, written and directed by first-time filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane, is India’s official entry for the Oscars in the foreign language category.
The decision was taken by a 16-member committee headed by Amol Palekar set up by the Film Federation of India (FFI), which met in Hyderabad. Other contenders included Masaan, PK and Baahubali.
Court, which has already been to several international film festivals and won national and international awards, is the story of a radical poet who is accused of waging war against the state. It follows the never-ending trial of a balladeer who is accused of encouraging a municipal worker to commit suicide through his fiery songs. The multi-lingual arthouse drama examines the Indian judicial system from the perspectives of the accused, the lawyer defending him, the public prosecutor, and the judge presiding over the case.
Court was premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2014 where it won the Lion of the Future Award for the best first feature as well as the top prize in the non-competitive Horizons category. Court also won the National Award for Best Feature Film at this year’s National Film Awards.
The movie’s cast includes its producer Vivek Gomber, Marathi stage veteran Geetanjali Kulkarni, and Vira Sathidar. It has been shot by Mrinal Desai and edited by Rikhav Desai. Tamhane and Gomber are in Japan at the Fukoka International Film Festival where the film is being screened.
This is the third Marathi film to be sent for the Oscars. The first was Sandeep Sawant’s Shwaas in 2004, while the second was Harichandrachi Factory by Paresh Mokakshi.
India has never won an Academy Award in the best foreign language movie category though it has figured in the nominations thrice: for Mehmoob Khan’s Mother India, Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay and Ashuthosh Gowarikar’sLagaan.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
