Cape Town – Africa’s film star continues to rise as more countries from the continent continue to submit entries in the foreign language category and with Malawi and Niger becoming first-time entrants this year in the Academy Awards film race.

Eighty-seven countries qualified for submitted films for consideration in the foreign-language film category for the 91st Academy Awards with Malawi that submitted Shemu Joyah's The Road to Sunrise, and Niger that submitted Rahmatou Keita's The Wedding Ring.

South Africa has submitted Jahmil X.T Qubeka’s adventure film Sew the Winter to My Skin. (Read more here)

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Nigeria is absent but 6 African countries feature on this year's approved foreign language race list, with the 87 films that are slightly down from the record-setting 92 that were submitted and approved last year.

HERE ARE THE AFRICAN SUBMISSIONS

1. Egypt, "Yomeddine", A.B. Shawky, director

2. Kenya, "Supa Modo", Likarion Wainaina, director

3. Malawi, "The Road to Sunrise", Shemu Joyah, director

4. Morocco, "Burnout", Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, director

5. Niger, "The Wedding Ring", Rahmatou Keïta, director

6. South Africa, "Sew the Winter to My Skin", Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director

Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, 22 January 2019 with the 91st Oscars ceremony that will be held on Sunday, 4 February 2019, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles.