Malayalam film that chronicled stories behind the 2018 Kerala flood India's pick for the Oscars

A critically acclaimed Malayalam film that chronicled the human stories behind the 2018 floods in Kerala and became the highest-grossing movie in the state's history was chosen by a jury on Wednesday to become India's official entry for the best international feature film at the 96th Academy Awards next year.

- Vishnu Varma

2018: Everyone is a Hero will follow what many consider the best year for India at the Oscars in 2023, when Telugu blockbuster RRR won the coveted statuette for best original song and noted documentary The Elephant Whisperers won the best documentary short award. Another Indian movie, All That Breathes, was nominated in the best documentary feature race.

The announcement was made in Chennai on Wednesday after the 16-member jury of the Film Federation of India unanimously chose the film. "The film talks about a calamity that Kerala faced in 2018. It not only represents India but also the calamity that's happening around the world. It excelled cinematically and technically," said Girish Kasaravalli, Kannada filmmaker and chairman of the selection committee.