Oscar Award for Best Documentary goes to Searching for Sugar Man film shot on Apple iPhone

THE FIRST Oscar-nominated feature film shot on an Apple iPhone has claimed an Academy Award and its app developer could not be happier.

Searching for Sugar Man

THE FIRST Oscar-nominated feature film shot on an Apple iPhone has claimed an Academy Award and its app developer could not be happier.

The $1.99 app, 8mm Vintage Camera, became the first linked to the Academy Awards after Searching for Sugar Man claimed the Oscar for Best Documentary.

The Swedish and British documentary following two men searching for a 1970s musician was partially shot on an Apple iPhone with Nexvio's 8mm app after the production ran out of money.

Director Malik Bendjelloul said the final shots captured on an iPhone were "almost as good'' as the rest of the footage, shot on Super 8 film.

Nexvio president Hongyu Chi told News Ltd he watched the Oscars telecast to cheer on the film, and was "excited" by the result.

"(The) 8mm (app) has been used by a lot of indie musicians in their music videos but (now it has) been used in a feature film – an Oscar-winning film," Mr Chi said.

"That's a surprising and thrilling experience for us."

Despite the accolades, the price of the 8mm Vintage Camera app was unchanged in Apple's App Store yesterday, though its description was changed to reveal its new Academy Award ties.