Every year, during the interval preceding the Academy Awards, the discourse you will find on social media, especially among film writers and filmmakers, paints a pretty grim picture about the urgency to be appropriated by the West. It is a testament to an empty gabfest, since most of these are pointless with seldom positive outcomes.

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The discourse is equally tiring, for it invariably begins with divided opinions on how the Oscars are just a PR machinery and not an ultimate test of standard for international cinema. But somehow, these eloquent ramblings end with infighting over India’s submissions.

The Tamil indie feature Koozhangal (Pebbles) was unanimously picked by the jury members as India’s submission for the 2022 Oscars. Shaji N. Karun, who chaired the jury, stated that they chose Koozhangal for its “cinematic achievement”. In contrast, at the Rotterdam Film Festival 2021, where the film had its world premiere and bagged the coveted Tiger Award, the jury members explained it better, calling it “pure cinema”.

“Creating a maximum impact with a minimum in means, the filmmaker reaches his goal with the same conviction and determination as his main characters. The result is a lesson in pure cinema, captivating us with its beauty and humour, in spite of its grim subject,” they said.

Also Read | ‘Koozhangal’ movie review: A sensational debut from PS Vinothraj that is evocative, visceral and powerful

What is this “pure” cinema that comes up when describing Koozhangal? For starters, it is a simple story told in a supreme filmmaking language that is universal — something you would not associate with the recent spate of Indian films submitted to the Oscars, including Vetri Maaran’s Visaranai. Directed by self-taught filmmaker P.S. Vinothraj, who hails from a village called Arittapatti in Madurai, the dramatic portions of Koozhangal are mined from the director’s own life.

With a runtime just under 90 minutes, Koozhangal is about a man teeming with rage when he finds out that his wife has left the house. He picks up his son from school and they embark on a journey on foot, to bring her back. Almost three-fourths of the film is about them walking through the desolate hamlet, in the scorching heat. But the manner in which this seemingly ordinary story unfolds and the cinematic possibilities Vinothraj and his technical team achieve through it are, simply put, stunning.

Expecting Koozhangal to win the Oscar might be a vain hope, even though its filmmaking language is world-class. Let us admit, the Oscars are not about celebrating the spirit of cinema — not always, but about campaigning and betting on the winning horse. It is “all about wine and dine”, as Vetri Maaran was quoted as saying in an interview, talking about the time when he spent nearly three months at Los Angeles in the U.S., hosting parties and meeting agents to catch the attention of voters for Visaranai, India’s official selection in 2016. Despite being an independent film, Koozhangal has the backing of Rowdy Pictures, the production started by Tamil filmmaker Vignesh Shivan and actor Nayanthara. But how much money they can pool in to get their hands on what appears to be an expensive ticket remains to be seen.

Koozhangal has other things running in its favour as the voters of the Academy Awards warm up to films that have some sort of familiarity, following their run at international film festivals. Vinothraj’s feature already has a reasonable impetus from the festival circuit. Influential film critic Richard Brody wrote a glowing review in The New Yorker, calling it the “best dramatic feature” he has seen this year, in addition to the positive reviews from Indian critics.