Africa’s diverse movie industry has received a nod from Oscar awards after two movies from the continent have moved a step closer to qualification into best foreign language film slot.

A total of 92 films around the world were submitted to Oscar awards for possible nominations into the best foreign language film category. After the sieving process, two African films passed the test and made it into the top nine, awaiting final phase of assessment.

The movies are Senegal’s Felicite by Alain Gomis, and South Africa’s the wound by John Trengove. Fate of the two works of art will be known on 23 January 2018 when the final list of nominees in the category which will include five movies, will be announced.

The prayer for the continent is that one of the products should claim the honour, but all movies should first make it into the final list. People believe the likelihood of African films winning will increase if they all make the final cut.

Malawi’s iconic movie director Shemu Joyah has described the move in positive terms. Through Facebook, he hailed the progress being made in Africa’s movie production as evidenced by the Oscar’s nod for the semi final stage.

“African cinema on the move! Two African films have made the semi-final shortlist of nine films for the Best Foreign Language Film for the 2018 Oscars: Senegal’s “Félicité” by Alain Gomis and South Africa’s “The Wound” by John Trengove.The final five films shall be nominated in January 2018. Congratulations Alain­ and John. This shows that African filmmaking has come of age,” wrote Joyah on Monday

The list of all nine films scrambling for the top five slots are: a fantastic woman from Chile, in the fade from Germany, on body and soul from Hungary, Felicite from Senegal, Foxtrot from Israel, the insult from Lebanon, loveless from Russia, the would from South Africa, and the square from Sweden.

Oscar awards will be happening for the 90th time. The ceremony is schedule for 9 March 2018, in the United States of America.