A Manx language feature film could potentially represent the United Kingdom at the 2027 Oscars, following talks scheduled between an island producer and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Producer George Hargreaves is due to meet BAFTA’s head of film, Deirdre Hopkins, later this month to discuss the possibility of submitting the film AD 2027 for consideration in the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film category.

The feature is directed by Academy Award recipient John Stephenson, who in 1992 received a Scientific and Engineering Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for developing the Henson Performance Control System.

AD 2027 stars Filipino actors Raymond Bagatsing and Bella Padilla and features dialogue in Manx, Tagalog and Afrikaans, reflecting the Isle of Man’s diverse communities. In the film, Manx is portrayed as widely spoken across island society.

Mr Hargreaves said the multilingual nature of the film could make it eligible for the international feature category.

He said: ‘By including Manx, Tagalog and Afrikaans in more than 50% of the film’s dialogue, AD 2027 is expected to meet the eligibility criteria for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.’

According to Mr Hargreaves, the film would qualify as a UK submission because both the producer and director are British and the production company is UK-based.

The project also coincides with the 2026 Year of the Manx Language, highlighting ongoing efforts to preserve and revitalise the island’s indigenous language.

Schools and cultural organisations such as Culture Vannin have worked for decades to support the language, and supporters say a high-profile film could help bring international attention to those efforts.

Mr Hargreaves said the project also has a personal dimension for him.

‘This is also personal for me - my son attends the only Manx-language school in the world, so I see how important the language is to the next generation,’ he said.

The Isle of Man has previously been linked with Oscar recognition. In 2012, the Isle of Man-backed animated film Chico & Rita was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The UK has been submitting films to the Best International Feature Film category since 1991, most recently winning the award in 2023 for The Zone of Interest.

Mr Hargreaves’ approach to BAFTA follows a Tynwald Petition of Grievance submitted in July last year, in which which called on the Isle of Man Government to take steps to enable Manx-language films to be considered for Oscar submissions.

He said: ‘After consulting Culture Vannin it was suggested that an approach to the UK should be made in the first instance. I took that advice.’

If selected, AD 2027 would mark the first time the Manx language has featured in a UK Oscar submission, potentially providing international exposure for both the language and the Isle of Man.

Supporters say the film could showcase the island’s cultural heritage while also reflecting its modern multicultural community, and may help encourage further creative projects using the Manx language.