Niamh Madden

In the current climate of COVID-19 and haphazard on-off restrictions, it’s no secret that these past few years have been difficult for cinema. In fact, Hollywood has slowly morphed into streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with the Oscar nominations reinforcing the influence these services have on both film and audience.

The most anticipated awards nominations roll around every year like clockwork, but this year's history has already been made, with Jane Campion being nominated for Best Director with The Power of The Dog. This makes her the first woman in the 94-year history of the awards to receive two directing nominations. The Oscar nominations, being renowned for the controversies they spark, have also been praised for being more diverse overall, with openly queer people, such as Kristen Stewart, and people of colour finally being recognised in a way that they deserve, as seen with West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose, who is the first Afro-Latina actor to be nominated. The pictures that took the nominations by storm and are set to win big are Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog (12 nominations), Denis Villeneuve’s Dune (10 nominations), Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (seven nominations), and Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast (seven nominations).

Let’s start with the one that grasps the most audience attention: Best Picture. This year, those nominated for Best Picture appear to be somewhat left field, due to lack of press or publicity and not being seen as ‘popular blockbusters’. However, this widens the scope for other non-mainstream films to achieve deserved praise and attention. It also implies the slow but sure progression that is happening within the Academy, giving room for films about people with disabilities, such as CODA, and also acknowledging films not in the English language, which are equally just as good, if not better than those in English. This is seen with Drive My Car, a Japanese film which follows a widowed actor, Yusuke Kafuku, in search of a chauffeur (Misaki Watari), and results in them forming a special bond.

CODA kicks off this year's nominations. A remake of the 2014 French film La Famille Bélier, it follows the life of a child of deaf adults, who finds it increasingly difficult to balance her aspirations and aiding her family run their fishing business. Joining CODA is Don’t Look Up, hailed as a divisive, star-studded, satirical climate-conscious film, it details two astronomers warning the general public about a deadly asteroid. Dune is also fighting for film of the year, starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by Denis Villeneuve, who shockingly was snubbed in the Best Director category. Reinaldo Marcus Green’s King Richard has also been nominated for Best Picture. It tells the story of father to Serena and Venus Williams, Richard Williams, who is determined to have his daughters make history. Will Smith stars in the film and is further nominated for Best Actor for his role. Licorice Pizza, the love story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine set in California is nominated too, alongside Nightmare Alley, The Power of the Dog, West Side Story and Belfast.

One film that has gained attention from not just the Oscars but a whole host of other award shows is Belfast. Belfast has been nominated for a total of seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ciarán Hinds), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Best Director (Kenneth Branagh), Best Original Screenplay, Best Music (Song) (Van Morrison, Down To Joy) and Best Sound. It’s safe to say that it has been a complete hit with the Academy. Belfast is a black and white autobiographical film set in 1969, Tiger’s Bay - the home of the producer, director and writer Sir Kenneth Branagh. The story follows the perspective of Buddy, a 10-year old working-class Protestant, whose family are navigating how to maintain a stable family life during the outbreak of The Troubles. It’s Branagh’s love letter to the city and its people, with plenty of heart-warming and emotional moments that communicate the importance of family and community acting as stability in times of unrest.

Joining Judi Dench in the nominations for Best Supporting Actress is Jessie Buckley for The Lost Daughter, Ariana DeBose for West Side Story, Kirsten Dunst for The Power of the Dog and Aunjanue Ellis for King Richard. Dench’s nomination appeared as a surprise, with many believing her co-star Caitriona Balfe to be considered for the award in her stead, especially since Dench’s Belfast accent has had mixed responses. Kirsten Dunst has been continually overlooked for her outstanding performances in films such as The Virgin Suicides and The Beguiled, but it appears she is now on track to pick up the award. However, actress Ariana DeBose plays well-loved character Anita in West Side Story, with whom Rita Moreno won the Oscar for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ in 1962. DeBose herself is the only nominee in her category to be recognised at every televised awards ceremony this year and is considered to be the favourite to win the Oscar too. Further success for Belfast is additionally highlighted in the nominations for Best Supporting Actor, with actor Ciarán Hinds leading the way as the favourite to win Best Supporting Actor. Nominated alongside Hinds is Kodi Smit-McPhee for The Power of the Dog, Troy Kotsur for CODA, Jesse Plemons for The Power of the Dog and J.K. Simmons for Being the Ricardos.

Alongside Kenneth Branagh in the Best Director category are; Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car), Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza), Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) and Steven Spielberg (West Side Story), with Jane Campion being a favourite to win.

Overall, this year’s nominations are historical and exciting, and hopefully, Belfast gets the awards it deserves. You can watch the Academy Awards on March 27.

Niamh Madden is a Culture reporter for The Scoop and an English student at Queen’s University Belfast

Oscar Nominations 2022: This Year's Award Contenders