A made-in-Surrey Punjabi-language movie has missed making the cut for an Academy Award.
Work Weather Wife, written by Harpreet Sandhu, who also directed, co-starred and co-produced alongside Reema Nagra, was the only Canadian film shortlisted in the best song category at the Oscars.
In fact, two song from the movie – Long Braid and Moon, both composed by Sandhu – were among 79 songs vying for a nomination.
However, on Thursday, when the finalists were announced, Work Weather Wife wasn't on the list. The omission wasn't a big surprise for Sandhu, who was happy to have been on the shortlist beside an array of big-budget Hollywood flicks.
"This is an independent film and we made it this far without money, and that's huge for us," he said.
Finalists named in theBest Original Song category included "Everything is Awesome" from The Lego Movie, "Glory" from Selma, "Grateful" from Beyond the Lights, "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from Glen Campbell…I'll Be Me, and "Lost Stars" from Begin Again.
The Oscar buzz Work Weather Wife received may help bring it to more screens. About a couple who must deal with issues of infidelity and honour killing after they let a con-man into their home, it already screened in Canada and the U.S. But Sandhu says he's considering returning it to theatres here now that people know about it, as well as getting it into theatres abroad.
His next project, he says, is about a boy who's forced to kill his gangster step-dad, who killed his birth father. The working title for that film is I Love My Dad, But I Killed My Dad.