Jallikattu, the 2019 Malayalam feature film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, has been selected as India's official entry for the International Feature Film category at the 93rd Academy Awards.

This was announced by the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced on November 25.

Jallikattu was unanimously chosen from 27 entries across Hindi, Marathi and other language films.

The movie is about a tribe of men coming together to stop a bull that has run amok in their village.

"There were a total of 27 films that had entered the race from Hindi, Malayalam and Marathi," said filmmaker Rahul Rawail, Chairman, Jury Board, Film Federation of India.

"The film which has been nominated by the jury to represent India at Oscars is Malayalam film Jallikattu," he added.

"It is a film that really brings out the raw problems which are there in human beings, that is we are worse than animals," Rawail further said in the online press conference.

The film, which derives its name from the popular-yet-controversial bull-taming event from the South, is based on a short story by Hareesh.

It features actors Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad and Santhy Balachandran.

Other films that were nominated included Chhapaak, Shakuntala Devi, Chhalaang, Gulabo Sitabo, Eeb Allay Ooo!, The Sky is Pink, Bulbbul and internationally-celebrated feature The Disciple.

It may be mentioned here that Lijo Jose Pellissery had previously directed several critically acclaimed films like Angamaly Diaries and Ea Ma Yau.

"Jallikattu is a production that country should be proud of," Rawail further said.

"The whole film talks about an animal that has run amok in a butcher's shop. The film has been depicted wonderfully and it has been shot very well. The emotion that comes out really moved all of us to have it selected," Rawail added.

Jallikattu had its premiere on September 2019 at the Toronto International Film Festival and received widespread critical acclaim.