Malaysian producers score Oscar nomination for documentary 'St Louis Superman'

Franks, flanked by Tan (left) and Teng, is the subject of St. Louis Superman. The short documentary follows his journey from activist and rapper to state representative. Photo: Handout

St. Louis Superman, produced by Malaysians Teng Poh Si and Cheyenne Tan, has been nominated for a Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar.

The 25-minute-long documentary is nominated alongside four other titles In The Absence, Learning To Skateboard In A Warzone (If You're A Girl), Life Overtakes Me and Walk Run Cha-Cha. There are a total of 96 documentaries considered for the category.

St. Louis Superman, directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, chronicles the journey of Franks Jr, an activist and rapper who ran for the Missouri House Of Representatives in 2016 and won.

He was inspired to enter politics after the shooting of an unarmed African-American teenager, Michael Brown Jr., by a white police officer in 2014 at Ferguson, Missouri, near where Franks lived.

Meanwhile, Malaysian film Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal, which was among the top 32 animated films considered for Best Animated Feature, did not receive a nomination.

M For Malaysia, Malaysia's official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, also did not receive a nomination.

The award ceremony will take place on Feb 9.