New Delhi: Jane Campion’s Western The Power of the Dog, a psychological drama set in the director’s native New Zealand, is leading the race to the 2022 Oscars. With The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion also becomes first woman to have been nominated twice in the best directing category.
Besides biggies like ‘Best Picture’, Campion’s film has earned nods to Benedict Cumberbatch in the ‘Actor in a Leading Role’, Kirsten Dunst in the ‘Supporting Actress’ category along with her husband Jesse Plemons and rising star Kodi Smit-McPhee, the latter two in the ‘Supporting Actor’ segment.
The Power of the Dog is closely followed by Dune, Denis Villenueve’s ambitious adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel. Surprisingly, Villenueve didn’t get the direction nod, but he was acknowledged in the ‘Best Picture’ category as producer with Mary Parent and Cale Boyter. He has also secured a nod in the ‘Adapted Screenplay’ segment alongside Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth.
Also part of the best picture line-up are: CODA, Don’t Look Up by Adam McKay, Japanese film Drive My Car, King Richard, Licorice Pizza, Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley, and West Side Story by Steven Spielberg.
Spielberg’s take on West Side Story collected seven nominations, which also include Costume, Cinematography and Sound.
King Richard got a best actor nod for Will Smith, who stars in the title of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. The film bagged six nods with Aunjanue Ellis getting recognised in the ‘Best Supporting’ actress category for playing Oracene Price, the matriarch of the Williams family.
Besides Dunst and Ellis, other nominees are Judi Dench (Belfast), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) and Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter). Kenneth Branagh’s semi-biographical work Belfast collected seven nominations, including two for the writer-filmmaker in Original Screenplay and Direction category.
The international feature film of the year list also has Flee (Denmark), The Hand of God (Italy), Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) and The Worst Person in the World (Norway) in competition.
Actor couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem has secured nominations in the lead acting categories for Parallel Mothers and Being The Ricardos, respectively.
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) and Andrew Garfield (tick, tick…BOOM!) are also vying for the Best Actor trophy.
There is tough competition in the Actress in a Leading Role category. The nominees are Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter), Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos), Kristen Stewart (Spencer) and Cruz.
No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s final film as James Bond, is nominated in visual effects, sound, and original song for Billie Eilish and FINNEAS.