Bengaluru:

The movie titled "The Face of the Faceless," depicting the life of Indian nun Sr Rani Maria who was martyred for her faith, has entered the Oscars 2024 eligibility list in the categories of Best Original Song and Best Original Score. The three songs that made it to the eligibility list were composed by music director Alphons Joseph. The announcement was made on the Instagram page of CrossRoads School of Music, an academy run by him. Alphons is one of the founding members of the Rexband— a music band of the Jesus Youth movement.

The 96th Oscars ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 10. 'The Face of the Faceless,' which was released on November 17, is still running successfully at the box office. The lead role in "The Face of the Faceless" is played by Vincy Aloshious, a South Indian actor, and the film is directed by Shaison P. Ouseph, an internationally acclaimed documentary filmmaker.

Rani Maria Vattalil, now known as Blessed Rani Maria, was born on January 9, 1954, in Pulluvazhy, Kerala, India. Sister Rani Maria belonged to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and dedicated her life to religious service as a member of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC). She was actively involved in various social and pastoral activities, with a particular focus on the poor and marginalized communities.

Tragically, Sister Rani Maria was brutally murdered on February 25, 1995, while traveling on a bus in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Her assailant, Samandar Singh, was later arrested and convicted of the crime. The motive behind her murder was reportedly related to her work among the landless poor and her efforts to empower them.

Samandar Singh eventually sought forgiveness and reconciliation with her family. After spending several years in prison, Singh experienced a profound spiritual transformation. The movie's website notes, “Rani Maria was murdered in a knife attack, and her assassin was sentenced to prison. Sr. Rani Maria's mother kissed the hands of her daughter's assassin as a sign of forgiveness...” The cause for Rani Maria’s canonization was initiated after her death, leading to her beatification by the Catholic Church in 2017.