On Sunday, the American film industry celebrates the 89th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
On Sunday, the American film industry celebrates the 89th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
ADVERTISEMENTThis year nine films are nominated and diversity is set to play the leading role.
Here are the some of the main contenders for Best Picture:
“La La Land”, a throwback romantic musical, is favourite to win the prize as it leads the nominations with 14, tying the record set by ‘Titanic’ and ‘All About Eve’.
It took director Damien Chazelle six years to get the film made and his efforts have already paid off as it has won top gongs at the BAFTAs and seven Golden Globes including Best Picture for a Musical or Comedy.
Coming of age indie challenger “Moonlight”, directed by Barry Jenkins, provides stiff competition to with eight nominations.
The movie, about an African-American teenager struggling with his gay sexuality in impoverished Miami, won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in the drama category. It has been celebrated by critics so much its now odds-on favourite in some quarters to cause an upset.
A man who has to look after his orphaned teenage nephew sees his past come back to haunt him in director Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea”.
It’s widely considered a very strong contender with six nominations including Best Actor, Best Picture and Best original screenplay.
“Fences”, stars and was directed and produced by Denzel Washington whose simmering performance has persuaded some he’ll certainly add to his two Best Actor Oscars.
Viola Davis won a BAFTA award and a Golden Globe for best supporting actress.
“Hidden Figures” completes the trio of films with mainly black actors competing for the top awards.
ADVERTISEMENTIt’s the back-story of three African-American women who fought racism and sexism while helping launch Nasa’s first successful space missions in the 1960s.
“Arrival”, “Lion”, “Hacksaw Ridge” and “Hell or High Water” are the other films nominated this year to the “premier award” of the Academy.
LISTOSCARBESTPICTURENOMINEES
Arrival – Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Aaron Ryder and David Linde, Producers
Fences – Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington and Todd Black, Producers
ADVERTISEMENTHacksaw Ridge – Bill Mechanic and David Permut, Producers
Hell or High Water – Carla Hacken and Julie Yorn, Producers
Hidden Figures – Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams and Theodore Melfi, Producers
La La Land – Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz and Marc Platt, Producers
Lion – Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Angie Fielder, Producers
ADVERTISEMENTManchester by the Sea – Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck and Kevin J. Walsh, Producers
Moonlight – Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
