The games are closed, but the verdicts remain under lock and key. Tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 22, at 2:30 p.m. Italian time, actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman will announce live streaming from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards. There will be 24 categories called upon to define the map of world cinema, in an edition that promises to shake up Hollywood’s traditional isolationism.
The most relevant fact of the eve concerns the possible international “invasion.” Thanks to an Academy where now 24 percent of eligible voters live outside the United States, three non-English-language productions could enter the ten for Best Picture at the same time: the Norwegian Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier, the Iranian A Simple Accident by Jafar Panahi and the Brazilian The Secret Agent. It would be an absolute record, a strong cultural signal while, outside theaters, the U.S. political debate focuses on tariffs and new customs closures.
U.S. stocks to beat
Hollywood is responding to the global push by fielding its most beloved auteurs. The favored titles to rake in the nominations are. One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson and Sinners by Ryan Coogler. Both have the potential to approach the all-time record of 14 nominations, held by such giants as Titanic and La La Land.
Next to them, they enjoy excellent predictions Hamnet by Chloé Zhao, Marty Supreme by Josh Safdie and the Frankenstein by Guillermo del Toro. On the other hand, the sour note concerns the big franchises: both Wicked – Part 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ashes arrive tomorrow with declining odds, punished by a decidedly less warm critical reception than their previous chapters.
The race of actors and directors
In the male acting categories, the duel seems to be a matter between Leonardo DiCaprio(One Battle After Another) and Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme). Chalamet seeks redemption after missing out last year as the youngest winner in favor of Adrien Brody. Along with them are hot nominees Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal and Sweden’s Stellan Skarsgård, a previous Golden Globe awardee. Among the women, Emma Stone (Bugonia) and Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) lead the predictions.
In directing, the final five promises to be a challenge between giants. In addition to Anderson and Coogler, the papayas are Del Toro and the aforementioned foreign directors Trier and Panahi. It will be a difficult verdict: this year’s quality will force the Academy to exclude excellent names that have marked the season.
Italy and the Novelty Casting
For Italian cinema, orphaned by Familia in the race for best international film, hopes are pinned on the talented craftsman Matteo Burani. His animated short film Playing God, produced in Bologna and already the winner of 92 international awards, is among the favorites to enter the final five short films.
Tomorrow will also mark the official debut of theOscar for Best Casting. A historic award that honors those who build set chemistry, a technical innovation that will lengthen the list of statuettes up for grabs. After tomorrow’s announcement, the final marathon will begin, culminating on the night of March 15 at the Dolby Theatre.
