After a movement forced by the pandemic, the Oscars return to their traditional hall on Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame” on Sunday for a close competition, where the favorites CODA, dog power and Belfast compete for the supreme award for best feature film.
What time does the ceremony take place?
The Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 27, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. It will start here around 2 am French time and will be broadcast live on ABC and the oscars official channel as well as on Canal+. The world will dedicate a direct to the ceremony.
Who will lead the ceremony?
Actresses and comedians Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes will take the stage to co-host the ceremony, which hasn’t had an emcee in three years.
What are the favorite movies?
Dark, psychological Western about men who don’t come to terms with their sexuality, the power of the dog has been in the lead for a long time, giving Netflix hope for a historic win in this flagship category. But for a few weeks CODAan upbeat comedy-drama adapted from the French hit the aries familyhe galloped back.
The film, which follows a high school student torn between her new found passion for singing and her family, whose other members are deaf and depend on her to communicate with the hearing world, swept every award after award. by unions in the American film industry.
On Friday, for the first time ever, this low-budget film whose journey began at Sundance in January 2021 came top of industry insiders’ predictions, ahead of the power of the dog. In third position is Belfasta black and white evocation of Kenneth Branagh’s childhood in the midst of violence in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s.
“It’s a race between two or three horses”confirms Clayton Davis, specialist in film awards for the magazine Varietya reference in the field.
For him, the “dynamic” of the last days played in favor of CODA. “The last two years have been very difficult for everyone. And CODA is positive, comforting. I think voters are in a feel-good mood.”.
Can voters be reluctant to vote for a Netflix movie?
Many professionals have been enthusiastic the power of the dog, highlighting its aesthetic prowess and the performances of the actors. Four of them (Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee) compete for this 94me edition.
But many others have also criticized Jane Campion’s film for a certain coldness. “Not to everyone’s liking”notes Scott Feinberg, a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
This can be a handicap because the strange multi-round preferential voting system used at the Oscars for the best feature film category generally favors the most consensual films.
But a surprise is always possible at the Oscars and the competition. “never been so open”said on condition of anonymity one of the voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the prestigious trophies.
trump on the sleeve CODAIt is a low-budget independent film (15 million dollars) perceived this year as the outsider and that, therefore, could attract the sympathy of voters, even if it is broadcast on Apple TV +.
“Some Academy members I talk to are still reluctant to vote for a Netflix movie in the Best Feature Film category”explains this voter.
Who are the favorites among the actors?
Among the actors, this year’s big favorite is the ever-popular Will Smith, who plays the father of champions Serena and Venus in The Williams Method.
one of the stars of CODATroy Kotsur holds the rope for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The deaf actor, who plays the loving but sometimes helpless father of a hearing teenager, has been a hit at several movie awards this season.
On the actress side, the competition is tough, but Jessica Chastain, unrecognizable in her role as televangelist on In the eyes of Tammy FayeIt seems the best located. She could be threatened by Penélope Cruz, who wowed with her performance in Parallel Mothers, by Pedro Almodóvar.
Ariana DeBose should win as a supporting actress with the remake of West Side Story by Steven Spielberg but the latter seems to be on the wrong path to establish himself as best director against Jane Campion, who has a good chance of winning the second Oscar of his directing career after the piano Lesson.
the grand space opera Dune it should stand out in multiple technical categories, from photography to sound and special effects.
Who could present the awards?
Stars expected to present awards include Bill Murray, Lady Gaga, Kevin Costner, Samuel L. Jackson, Zoë Kravitz, Anthony Hopkins, Lily James, Mila Kunis, John Leguizamo, Simu Liu, Rami Malek, Lupita Nyong’o, Rosie Perez, but also the star of West Side Story Rachel Zegler, who had stirred up social networks by stating that she had no invitation.
Will the Oscars reconnect with the public?
The organizers and broadcaster ABC hope that this 94me edition will allow them to reconnect with the public and with their audience, which has been in free fall in recent years.
The 2021 edition had only attracted 10 million viewers, a drop of 56% from the previous year that had already registered its lowest level in history.
To attract fans, organizers this year launched a “Amateur Award”, called to vote on social networks. this is for the oscars “see how they can reach a new audience, this TikTok generation”Clayton Davis believes.
Pop queen Beyoncé and her young runner-up Billie Eilish will also be looking for viewers on the Oscars stage. Both compete for the Oscar for best song, respectively for The Williams Method and that of the last James Bond.
Are there controversies this year?
The biggest controversy of this edition refers to the decision to deliver the prizes before the start of the live broadcast. These eight prizes are awarded to short films, editing, music, hair and makeup, sound design and production.