Today is not just significant for the solstice and the passing of fall into winter, it also is the first bell ringing in the race for Oscar as the Academy has just announced semi-finalists in 10 categories.
Fifteen movies each are moving forward in the contests for International Feature Film, Documentary Feature, Original Song and Music Score, plus the documentary, animated and live action short-film categories. Ten movies each advanced today in the categories of Sound, Visual Effects and Makeup & Hairstyling.
The shortlists are eagerly awaited as an early indicator of which films may be exhibiting strong support in certain pockets of AMPAS, and which are overlooked. There are always surprises. Since the recent leak of twenty semi-finalists in Visual Effects for example, presumed front runner Oppenheimer didn’t even make that cut, so you will not be seeing Christopher Nolan’s landmark achievement mentioned on at least one list released today. On the other hand these lists, though not including marquee categories like Picture, Acting, Directing, Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Production and Costume Design, or Animated Feature still can be a signal for an unexpected contender.
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Last year Netflix’s eventual International Film winner and Best Picture nominee All Quiet On The Western Front scored a leading five mentions on the shortlists including Sound, Visual Effects, Makeup & Hair, and Original Music Score in addition to International Film. It was eventually nominated in all five of its shortlisted categories, and even won two of those in addition to another two categories not shortlisted. Is there another All Quiet making preliminary Oscar noise today?
Here are the 2024 Oscar shortlists:
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMAmerican SymphonyApolonia, ApoloniaBeyond UtopiaBobi Wine: The People’s PresidentDesperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight CowboyThe Eternal MemoryFour DaughtersGoing to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni ProjectIn the RearviewStamped from the BeginningStill: A Michael J. Fox MovieA Still Small Voice32 SoundsTo Kill a Tiger20 Days in Mariupol
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM The ABCs of Book BanningThe Barber of Little RockBearBetween Earth & SkyBlack Girls Play: The Story of Hand GamesCamp CourageDeciding VoteHow We Get FreeIf Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare CrisisIsland in BetweenThe Last Repair ShopLast Song from KabulNǎi Nai & Wài PóOasisWings of Dust
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILMArmenia, AmerikatsiBhutan, The Monk and the GunDenmark, The Promised LandFinland, Fallen LeavesFrance, The Taste of ThingsGermany, The Teachers’ LoungeIceland, GodlandItaly, Io CapitanoJapan, Perfect DaysMexico, TotemMorocco, The Mother of All LiesSpain, Society of the SnowTunisia, Four DaughtersUkraine, 20 Days in MariupolUnited Kingdom, The Zone of Interest
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING Beau Is AfraidFerrariGoldaKillers of the Flower MoonThe Last Voyage of the DemeterMaestroNapoleonOppenheimerPoor ThingsSociety of the Snow
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)American FictionAmerican SymphonyBarbieThe Boy and the HeronThe Color PurpleElementalThe HoldoversIndiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyKillers of the Flower MoonOppenheimerPoor ThingsSaltburnSociety of the SnowSpider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseThe Zone of Interest
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)It Never Went Away from American SymphonyDear Alien (Who Art In Heaven) from Asteroid CityDance The Night from BarbieI’m Just Ken from BarbieWhat Was I Made For? from BarbieKeep It Movin’ from The Color PurpleSuperpower (I) from The Color PurpleThe Fire Inside from Flamin’ HotHigh Life from Flora and SonMeet In The Middle from Flora and SonCan’t Catch Me Now from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & SnakesWahzhazhe (A Song For My People) from Killers of the Flower MoonQuiet Eyes from Past LivesRoad To Freedom from RustinAm I Dreaming from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
ANIMATED SHORT FILMBoomEevaHumo (Smoke)I’m HipA Kind of TestamentKoerkorter (Dog Apartment)Letter to a PigNinety-Five SensesOnce upon a StudioOur UniformPachydermePete27War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & YokoWild Summon
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILMThe AfterThe Anne Frank Gift ShopAn Avocado PitBienvenidos a Los AngelesDead CatGood BoyInvincibleInvisible BorderKnight of FortuneThe One Note ManRed, White and BlueThe ShepherdStrange Way of LifeThe Wonderful Story of Henry SugarYellow
SOUNDBarbieThe CreatorFerrariThe KillerKillers of the Flower MoonMaestroMission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part OneNapoleonOppenheimerThe Zone of Interest
VISUAL EFFECTSThe CreatorGodzilla Minus OneGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3Indiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyMission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part OneNapoleonPoor ThingsRebel Moon – Part One: A Child of FireSociety of the SnowSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
