Indian short film, Karishma Dev Dube's Bittu, out of Oscars race in Best Live Action Short Film segment

Director Karishma Dev Dube’s Bittu is out of the Oscars race in the Best Live Action Short Film segment. The film, which had advanced to the 10 films shortlist last month, failed to book a spot in the final five at the Academy Award nominations, announced by actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas and husband Nick Jonas on Monday from London. The five nominees in the category are Feeling Through, The Letter Room, The Present, Two Distant Strangers and White Eye. Film and award watchers from India had pinned their hope on the 17-minute-long film, set on the day of the tragic 2013 Bihar school meal poisoning where 23 children died. Bittu is presented by Indian Women Rising (IWR), a cinema collective that was recently formed by Ekta Kapoor, Kashyap Khurrana, Guneet Monga and Ruchikaa Kapoor. The 93rd Academy Awards, which were postponed from their usual February date due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held on April 25 at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre as well as Union Station.