Nigeria finally had an Oscar entry, and within weeks it was gone. In November 2019, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified Lionheart, directed by Genevieve Nnaji, from the International Feature Film category because most of its dialogue was in English. The decision set off a global argument about language, colonialism and what counts as a “foreign” film.
The film
Lionheart follows Adaeze, played by Nnaji, who must save her father’s transport company when he falls ill, working alongside her uncle, played by Nkem Owoh. The film is a comedy-drama set in Enugu about family, business and gender.
Netflix
Netflix acquired Lionheart in 2018 after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, making it the first Netflix original film from Nigeria.
The submission
In 2019, the Nigerian Oscar Selection Committee chose Lionheart as the country’s first submission for the International Feature Film award, the category formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film.
The rule
The category required films to have predominantly non-English dialogue. Lionheart has only about 11 minutes of Igbo; the rest is in English.
The reaction
The director Ava DuVernay criticised the decision, pointing out that English is Nigeria’s official language. Nnaji responded that the film represented how Nigerians speak, saying it did not make the country any less Nigerian. Many commentators said the rule punished former colonies where English is widely spoken.
Language in Nigeria
Nigeria has hundreds of languages, and English serves as a common language between groups. Many Nollywood films are in English for this reason, while others are in Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa.
What came next
Nigeria returned the following year with The Milkmaid, a film largely in Hausa that met the language rule.
Nnaji’s career
Lionheart was Nnaji’s directorial debut. She had long been one of Nollywood’s biggest stars, and the film confirmed her ambitions as a filmmaker.
A wider debate
The controversy raised questions about how international awards define national cinema and whether rules designed for Europe fit Africa.
The rule changes
The Academy had already renamed the category from Best Foreign Language Film to Best International Feature Film in 2019, saying the old word “foreign” was outdated. Critics noted that the language rule remained even as the name changed.
Lionheart never got its Oscar night. It got something else instead: a global argument about who gets to decide what an African film sounds like.
