Could David Farrier and Dylan Reeve's Tickled score an Oscar?

Kiwi filmmakers Dylan Reeve and David Farrier could be up for the most prestigious award in film next year.

Their documentary on the weird world of competitive and fetish tickling has already been tipped as a potential Oscar winner by US entertainment news site Hollywood Reporter.

David Farrier, co-director of the documentary Tickled. Photo / Michael Craig.

Since wowing crowds at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Tickled has enraptured the world, clocking up glowing reviews and even being picked up by HBO, the same US TV network behind the hit series Game of Thrones.

And now, Hollywood Reporter has put the film on its Oscars predictions shortlist for Best Documentary Feature alongside films like OJ: Made in America, The Ivory Game and Amanda Knox.

David Farrier tweeted about the short listing, saying "as someone who likes nothing more than sitting down and watching a movie, this is lovely".

TICKLED is on The Hollywood Reporter's predictions for the 2017 Best Documentary shortlist: https://t.co/tZYQTDv8RR pic.twitter.com/mjlzrGlWjF

— Tickled Movie (@TickledMovie) September 10, 2016

But he's also not counting his chickens just yet, later adding that "being on a list about a list is like all the times I got participation certificates at high school".

Still, he's got the backing of one of his fellow Kiwi filmmakers.

Taika Waititi - who is in Australia directing the latest instalment of Marvel's Thor franchise, Thor: Ragnarok - tweeted Farrier his support:

@davidfarrier This needs to happen. https://t.co/2C8DySACu4

— Taika Waititi (@TaikaWaititi) September 11, 2016

The Oscars are due to take place next February, with the nominees due to be announced toward the end of January.