Academy Unveils Shortlists in 10 Oscar Categories

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As a seasoned film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that this year’s Oscar nominees have truly outdone themselves. With such a diverse and captivating lineup, it’s like being a kid in a candy store – only instead of sweets, we’ve got cinematic masterpieces!

On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the nominees in ten Oscar categories for the upcoming 97th Academy Awards.

The declaration encompassed a variety of films under these potential categories: documentaries (feature length and short), foreign language films, makeup and hair design, original music (score and song), animated shorts, live-action shorts, and sound and visual effects.

Among the movies under consideration across various categories were: Emilia Perez (The Apprentice), Dune: Part Two, multiple mentions for Beetlejuice, Nosferatu, Wicked, Challengers, The Wild Robot, Gladiator II, and Blitz.

The 97th Oscars’ voting process starts at 9 am Pacific Time on January 8th and concludes by 5 pm Pacific Time on the 12th of January. The nominees will be announced on the 17th of January. Subsequent to this, final voting commences at 9 am Pacific Time on February 11th and finishes at 5 pm Pacific Time on the 18th of February.

2025’s Oscar awards show, happening on March 2nd, will be hosted by Conan O’Brien. This grand event will air live on ABC, reaching over 200 nations worldwide.

Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan return as executive producers for the series, with Raj Kapoor additionally taking on the role of showrunner. Hamish Hamilton resumes his position as director.

See the full shortlists below, along with the Academy’s comments about each category.

Documentary Feature Film

In the Documentary Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards, a total of fifteen documentaries will progress. Initially, there were 169 movies that qualified for consideration. The members of the Documentary Branch are responsible for selecting these films, both for the shortlist and the eventual nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Bibi Files” could be paraphrased as “Bibi’s Records” or “The Bibi Documentaries”.

Documentary Short Film

As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to be part of the process that narrows down fifteen exceptional documentaries for the 97th Academy Awards in the Short Film Documentary category. Originally, a whopping one hundred four films qualified for this prestigious honor. The members of the Documentary Branch have the privileged task of voting to decide not only the shortlist but also the eventual nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Chasing Roo” – “Pursuing Roo” or “Catching up with Roo

International Feature Film

In the International Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards, a total of fifteen movies have been selected to move forward to the next phase of voting. Originally, a grand number of films from 85 different countries and territories were eligible for consideration within this category.

Invitations were sent out to members across all departments, asking them to take part in the initial stage of voting. To be able to vote in their chosen category, they had to fulfill a specific watch-time prerequisite.

During the nomination phase, members across various branches of the Academy are encouraged to join and are required to watch all 15 contending movies before casting their votes.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Brazil: “Still Standing

Makeup and Hairstyling

10 movies have been selected to move forward in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 97th Academy Awards. Members of the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch of the Academy are invited to watch clips and interviews with the artists from each shortlisted film on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Each branch member will then cast their vote to select five films for further Oscar® consideration.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“The Apprentice” could be paraphrased as “The Trainee”.

Music (Original Score)

ninety-seven scores are set to progress in the Original Score classification for the upcoming Academy Awards. A total of one hundred forty-five compositions qualified for consideration within this category. The members of the Music Department will be casting their votes to establish the shortlist as well as the eventual nominees.

The scores, listed in alphabetical order by film title, are:

“Romulus Alien” – “Alien from Romulus

Music (Original Song)

15 tracks are moving forward in the Original Song category for the 97th Academy Awards, with a total of 89 songs being initially qualified. The members of the Music Branch will be casting their votes to decide both the finalists and the eventual nominations.

Below you’ll find a list of the original songs, arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the movie they appear in, together with the corresponding films where they were showcased:

“Prohibited Path” from “Better Man

Animated Short Film

As an enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that 15 outstanding animated short films are moving forward in the competition for the 97th Academy Awards in their category. Initially, a total of 88 films qualified. Members from both the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch were privileged to cast their votes in the preliminary round. To be eligible to vote, each member was required to fulfill a certain viewing threshold.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’d put it like this: “During the nomination phase, fellow gamers from the Animation and Short Films branches are given the chance to join in. To cast their votes, they need to watch all fifteen shortlisted games, ensuring each one gets a fair shot.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Goodbye, My World” (for “Au Revoir Mon Monde”)

Live-Action Short Film

In the Live Action Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards, a total of fifteen movies will move forward. Initially, one hundred eighty films qualified for this category. Members from all branches of the Academy were invited to take part in the initial round of voting, and they had to fulfill a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in this specific category.

During the nomination phase, every branch member of the Academy is welcome to join and do so by watching all 15 movies that have been shortlisted to cast their votes.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

Anuja – “My Fellow Countrywoman

Sound

10 movies are set to progress in the Sound category for the 97th Academy Awards. Members of the Sound branch will cast their votes to establish the shortlist and the nominees. Invitations will be extended to Academy members to watch clips from each of the shortlisted films starting on Thursday, January 9, 2025, in the San Francisco Bay area. This will then move on to screenings in London, Los Angeles, and New York on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Once again, branch members will vote to select five movies for further Oscar consideration.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Romulus the Alien

Visual Effects

I’m thrilled to share that only ten movies are left in contention for the Visual Effects award at the 97th Academy Awards! It was the Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee who narrowed down the list. In less than a year, on January 11, 2025, we, as members of the Visual Effects Branch, will have the privilege to watch clips and artist interviews from each shortlisted film. After that, it’ll be our turn to cast our votes, nominating five films for the final Oscar consideration!

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Alien: Romulus” could be paraphrased as “Romulan Alien

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2024-12-17 22:26