efore time when film awards became the Holy Grail, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been recognizing talent in visual culture arts, while faithfully rewarding those who merit outstanding technical, creative and artistic achievement. Now that the 91st Oscars ceremony is close at hand, we take a look at the who’s who of entertainment industry that are in the running for the coveted golden statutte this year.
Alfonso Cuaron’s period-drama Roma, shot in monochrome, emerged as the clear favourite, earning nominations in 10 categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Actress in a Leading Role (Yalitza Aparicio) and Best Foreign Language Film.
Equaling Roma in the contest is Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, a dark-hearted period comedy set in 18th century England. While Olivia Colman will compete in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category, co-actresses Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone have each received a supporting actress nomination.
Other heavyweights this year are Bradley Cooper’s musical-tragedy A Star Is Born and Adam McKay’s biographical dramedy Vice, with 8 and 7 category nominations respectively. Bradley and Christian Bale (Vice) will lock horns in The Best Actor in a Leading Role category, while respective films compete for the Best Picture award and Adam meets eyes with Cuaron for the Best Director trophy.
Lady Gaga, who made her motion pictures debut in A Star Is Born, is an equally worthy contestant for the Best Actress in a Leading Role category alongside Yalitza Aparicio, Glenn Close (The Wife), Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Here’s the complete list of nominees in all 24 categories:
Best Picture: Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Green Book, Roma, A Star Is Born, Vice
Directing: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman), Paweł Pawlikowski (Cold War), Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite), Adam McKay (Vice)
Actor in a Leading Role: Christian Bale (Vice), Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born), Willem Dafoe (At Eternity’s Gate), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)
Actress in a Leading Role: Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born), Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), Glenn Close (The Wife), Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman), Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born), Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Sam Rockwell (Vice)
Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Adams (Vice), Marina de Tavira (Roma), Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk), Emma Stone (The Favourite), Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)
Animated Feature Film: Incredibles 2, Isle Of Dogs, Mirai, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Animated Short Film: Animal Behavior, Bao, Late Afternoon, One Small Step, Weekends
Cinematography: Roma, Cold War, The Favourite, Never Look Away, A Star is Born
Costume Design: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Black Panther, The Favourite, Mary Poppins Returns, Mary Queen of Scots
Documentary Feature: Free Solo, Hale County, Minding the Gap, RBG, Of Fathers and Sons
Documentary Short Subject: Black Sheep, End Game, Lifeboat, A Night at the Garden, Period. End of Sentence
Film Editing: BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Green Book, Vice
Foreign Language Film: Capernaum (Lebanon), Cold War (Poland), Never Look Away (Germany), Roma (Mexico), Shoplifters (Japan)
Live Action Short Film: Detainment, Fauve, Mother, Marguerite, Skin
Makeup and Hairstyling: Border, Mary Queen of Scots, Vice
Original Score: Black Panther, If Beale Street Could Talk, BlacKkKlansman, Mary Poppins Returns, Isle of Dogs
Original Song: All The Stars (Black Panther), I’ll Fight (RBG), The Place Where Lost Things Go (MPR)
Shallow (A Star is Born), When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Production Design: Black Panther, The Favourite, First Man, Roma, Mary Poppins Returns
Sound Editing: Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, A Quiet Place, Roma, First Man
Sound Mixing: Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, Roma, First Man, A Star is Born
Visual Effects: Avengers: Infinity War, First Man, Ready Player One, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Christopher Robin
Adapted Screenplay: The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, BlacKkKlansman, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, If Beale Street Could Talk, A Star Is Born
Original Screenplay: The Favourite, First Reformed, Green Book, Roma, Vice
Now that the Academy members, less than 8000 of them, have cast their vote, the fate of the contestants is sealed. What remains for the viewers is to tune in Sunday, Monday in India, to watch the glitziest night in showbiz. The ceremony will take place at the Dolby theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.