Annie Koop
The Academy Awards are arguably one of the most important film award ceremonies in the world. This year’s Oscars will take place on the 27th of March in Los Angeles and will honour films released in 2021. Here are 6 of the ceremony’s frontrunners to keep your eye on.
What makes the past year’s releases so unique is the fact that many of them debuted in cinemas and streaming services. Some didn’t debut in cinemas at all. The coronavirus pandemic is responsible for smaller cinema audiences. While it may have been an obstacle for filmmakers and studios at first, it soon prompted streaming services like Netflix and Amazon to partner with studios and debut films online. The strategy was a clear success, and The Power of the Dog is just one example. It was released on Netflix and has 12 Oscar nominations.
While the 94th Academy Awards will honour many incredible films and filmmakers, it will also leave out a few of 2021’s most popular titles. Two of my favourite releases last year, The French Dispatch and House of Gucci, failed to receive a single nomination. Their conspicuous absence is puzzling, especially after Lady Gaga’s performance in House of Gucci and Wes Anderson’s work behind The French Dispatch.
Let’s discuss some of the most notable frontrunners for this year’s Academy Awards.
1. Best Picture: The Power of the Dog
Perhaps the most notable title for this year’s Academy Awards is The Power of the Dog, which was produced and released by Netflix. It’s been nominated for a whopping 12 categories, including Best Picture. The cast boasts many talents like Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee — all of whom are nominated for their performances. The Power of the Dog is an impressive competitor, to say the least. I’m expecting a sweep from the western psychodrama on the 27th.
2. Best Director: Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
A surprise to none, probably, is Jane Campion’s Best Director nomination and likely win. The Power of the Dog has captured the the attention and subsequently garnered the approval of countless critics worldwide. Campion is also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, which she’s also favoured to win.
Only two women have ever won Best Director at the Academy Awards: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010 and Chloe Zhao for Nomadland in 2021. If Campion wins, she’ll be only the third woman to be awarded for her directing work by the Academy. It’s important to bring up the obvious inequality when it comes to male and female filmmakers in the industry. Whilst the Academy may be recognising women more than they used to, the race is still nowhere near fair.
3. Best Actor: Will Smith (King Richard)
This is Will Smith’s third nomination for Best Actor (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness) and in 2022, he’s finally predicted to win. His performance as Richard Williams is outstanding — you’re frustrated by him one moment and rooting for him the next. I find that actors who portray that kind of complexity in a convincing way are endlessly entertaining to watch. Needless to say, I have no objections to this frontrunner. It’s about time Will Smith won an Oscar!
3. Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
Jessica Chastain is unrecognisable in the role of Tammy Faye Bakker. The Academy likes big transformations. If you can sell an emotional performance while covered in prosthetics, you’ve earned their respect. Thus, Chastain is an obvious frontrunner for Best Actress.
This category isn’t clear-cut, and 2022’s nominations prove less predictable than previous ceremonies. Chastain is closely followed by fellow nominee Nicole Kidman for her work in Being the Ricardos. If Kidman snags the title over Chastain, I won’t be surprised.
4. Best Supporting Actress: Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)
Perhaps my favourite nomination is that of Aunjanue Ellis for her performance in King Richard. Ellis acted alongside Will Smith and some have said that she was superior in the film. One monologue in particular, directed at Smith, solidifies Ellis as a fierce competitor for fellow nominees.
A close second is Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) who recently won a Golden Globe for her performance in Spielberg’s reinterpretation. DeBose is yet another nominee whose win wouldn’t shock me in the least.
5. Best Cinematography: Dune
Dune is the most visually stunning film of 2021. This category is one that isn’t such a close race, since the fantastic cinematography of Greig Fraser in Dune commands more recognition than any other nominee. Fraser creates jaw-dropping, wide shot scenes that capture your attention effortlessly. The film is also nominated for Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects, and it’s favoured to win in both of them.
Unfortunately, Dune was snubbed for a Best Director nomination, but with the film’s 10 total nominations, I’m glad the sci-fi drama is getting the recognition it deserves.
6. Best Score: Dune
This is another obvious prediction. Dune‘s chilling, uneasy score is easily the best of 2021. Hans Zimmer is a personal favourite of mine. If he wins, this will be Zimmer’s second Academy Award, since he won in 1994 for his work in The Lion King. Other recognisable films in his portfolio include Inception, The Dark Knight and Interstellar. Zimmer has composed close to 200 scores. He’s a busy man!
Featured image courtesy of Thea HDC on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Annie Koop
Student journalist based in London, specialising in entertainment and lifestyle journalism.