Well, predicting nominees for nine of the 24 Oscar categories just got a little easier. On Tuesday afternoon, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its lists of best documentary feature film, international feature film, make-up and hairstyle, original soundtrack, original music, visual effects, documentary short, animated film and live-action short film. And, as you can imagine, there is a much of notable inclusions and omissions to speak of.
An unprecedented 238 documentaries and 93 internationals vied to advance to their respective lists of 15 – and, notably, two films were cut to both: Collective, a doctor from Romania on corruption in that country’s health sector; and The Mole Agent, a doctor about a man in disguise in a Chilean nursing home. Only two previous films, from 2011 Pina and 2019 Honeyland, landed on both lists.
The 13 other titles on the doc resource list include the presumed pioneers Time (Amazon), which portrays the impact of a harsh prison sentence for a family for many years; Crip Camp (Netflix), about a generation of activists who emerged from a 1970s summer camp for children with disabilities; The Truffle Hunters (Sony Classics), which follows old people and their dogs that hunt white mushrooms in Italy; Welcome to Chechnya (HBO) on LGBTQ abuse in the titular Russian republic; Boys State (Apple), a portrait of a student government meeting in Texas; Dick Johnson is dead (Netflix), in which the director faces the inevitability of her father’s death; and the voter suppression document All In: The struggle for democracy (Amazon), which features prominently Stacey Abrams.
Also advancing: 76 days (the first inclusion in this list for Sheila Nevins‘MTV Documentary Films), The Painter and the Thief (Neon), My octopus teacher (Netflix), Gunda (Neon), MLK / FBI (IFC) and another film that premiered internationally but did not enter the category, the Italian Night (Super LTD).
Among the most notable document resource omissions are two timely films from previous category winners, Bryan Fogelin The dissident, whose film may have been harmed by the presence of another film about the murder of a journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Kingdom of silence (Showtime), who also lost; and Alex GibneyCOVID chronicle of Fully under control, which was co-directed by Ophelia Harutyunyan and Suzanne Hillinger.
Also missing: The social dilemma (Netflix), a widely discussed film about the dangers of social media; In the registry (HBO Max), who documented sexual misconduct in the music world; The human factor (Sony Classics), from Dror Moreh, whose previous film on the Middle East peace process was nominated; I’m crack (Hulu), a behind-the-scenes look at climate activist Greta Thunberg; two talent films Dawn Porter, The way I see it (Focus) and John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia / Participant); The fight (Magnolia / Topic); Ron Howardin Rebuilding paradise (National Geographic); and town hall (Zipporah), which means that the legendary 2016 honorary Oscar winner Frederick Wiseman, 91, will be another year without his first Oscar nomination.
In something rare, there are no shocking omissions from the international resource favorites list – go back and see how old I can say that! Golden Globe nominees and Critics Choice are present Another round (Denmark), Two of us (France) and La Llorona (Guatemala’s first selected film). Two high-level films in a language other than English that received nominations for the Globe and Critics Choice, in Korean Minari and italian language Life ahead, were not eligible for Oscar recognition, the first because it is an American production and the last because Italy has chosen to send the aforementioned Night (which was not indicated in this category).
The rest of the list includes Tunisia’s first film, The man who sold his skinand commented titles from Taiwan (One sun), Russia (Dear comrades!), Costa do Marfim (Night of kings), Norway (Hope, which is now being adapted for a series in English by Nicole Kidman), Will (Sun Children), Czech Republic (Charlatan), Hong Kong (Better days), Bosnia / Herzogovina (Quo Vadis, Aida?) and Mexico (Netflix’s I’m not here anymore, which was praised by the “Three Friends”).
The two categories of music are always closely monitored, as they involve many big name competitors. And sure enough, this year’s list of 15 original songs includes songs written by, among others, Janelle Monáe (“Turntables” in the document All In: The struggle for democracy), Mary J. Blige (“See what you did” from Beast’s belly), Leslie Odom Jr. (The Golden Globe nominee and Critics Choice “Fale Agora” de One night in miami), HER (The nominee for Globo and Critics Choice “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah), Charlie Puth (“Free of The Only Ivan), heavenly (Named for the Globe “Hear My Voice” by The Chicago Trial 7) and Christina Aguilera (“Loyal Brave True” by Mulan) – and two from John Legend (“Never Break” from the doc Giving Voice and “Make it work” Jingle Jangle: a Christmas journey)
The rest of the list is completed by “Io Si (visa)” from Life ahead (nominated for the Globe and Critics Choice from the perennial Oscar bridesmaid Diane Warren), “Green” from Metal sound, “Show me your soul” from Mr. Alma!, “Rain Song” by Minari and two numbers of funny comedies: the nominee for the critical award “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga“(which star Will Ferrell promised to sing at the Oscars if nominated) and “Wuhan Flu Song” by Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (the performance of the MAGA gun rally that almost led to the lynching of Sacha Baron Cohen)
MIA: Andra’s Day“Tigress & Tweed”, nominated for the Globe and Critics Choice, United States x Billie Holiday, Taylor Swiftfrom the doc’s “Only the Young” American Miss, Justin Timberlake“Just Sing” by Trolls: world tour (he was nominated for the previous edition of “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”), the nominee for the Critics Choice “Everybody Cries” from The Outpost and Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo“I Love Boobies” by Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar.
Which brings us to the original scores. Among the 15 selected are all the usual suspects: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross‘ Mank and Soul (the last of which they composed with Jon Baptiste), both nominated for the Globe and Critics Choice; three others nominated for the Globe and Critics Choice: Alexandre Desplatin The Midnight Sky; James Newton Howardin World News and Ludwig Goranssonin Principle; Emile MosseriCritics Choice nominated Minari; more Terence Blanchardin Da 5 Bloods, Daniel Pembertonin The Chicago Trial 7, Dustin O’Halloran and Volker Bertelmannin Ammonite, Benjamin Wallfischin The invisible man and Mulan in Harry Gregson-Williams (who was also a writer for the aforementioned “Loyal Brave True”).
If there’s a surprise on the list, it’s that John Debneyin Jingle Jangle: a Christmas journey hit Elliot Goldenthalin The Glories.
The 10 makeup and hairstyle finalists, who will be invited to present seven-minute snippets in a March 6 bake-off, include four of the six nominees for the corresponding Critic’s Choice Award, Emma, Hillbilly Elegy, Black Bottom by Ma Rainey and Mank. (The two who went wrong: Promising young woman and United States x Billie Holiday.)
Some expected to see The prom appear on this list, but was defeated by Birds of prey, The Glories, Jingle Jangle: a Christmas journey, The little things, One night in miami and Pinocchio.
My colleague Carolyn Giardina, our technology editor, has more to say than I do about the 10-title visual effects list (each of which will feature 10-minute snippets in a March 6 bake-off). But for me, it’s not surprising to find Principle, Mank and The midnight sky on the list, not to mention less acclaimed but large-scale studio projects like Birds of prey, Bloodshot, Love and monsters, Mulan and The Only Ivan. I’m a little surprised, but pleasantly, that the list also includes Soul and documentary Welcome to Chechnya, the latest of which employs controversial “deep false” technology to protect the identities of LGBTQ people and their protectors in the titular Russian republic. I would have thought that The invisible man he would have made the cut, too, but he didn’t.
Finally, there are three short lists – try to say this quickly a few times in a row – of 10 each. I do not confess to being familiar with many of the titles that made or did not cut it, since I usually do not read the shorts before the announcement of the lists. But I must say that I am very pleased with the inclusion on the live-action list of Two Distant Strangers, a type of groundhog day about police brutality, which I discussed with the co-director Travon Free and executive producer Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in a recent episode of my podcast (it’s still looking for distribution, but in this Black History Month, I hope a streamer catches it immediately); and two impressive Netflix entries, A song for Latasha and What would Sophia Loren do?, in the reduced list of docs, and a third, 2D If anything happens I love you, in the animated short list.
The nominations for voting in all categories will take place from March 5 to 10. The nominees for the 93rd Oscar will be announced on March 15. And the Oscar ceremony itself will be held – in one way or another – on April 25.