Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez emerges as a serious contender for the Oscars, despite the postponement of nominations due to the devastating fires in Los Angeles. The film is expected to garner numerous nominations, including Best Picture.
The unclassifiable Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard promises to be a must-see for the Oscar nominations, announced Thursday after a postponement due to the deadly fires in Los Angeles.
Usually obsessed with the race for statuettes, Hollywood was sadly reminded of reality this month: faced with the fires which killed nearly thirty people and forced thousands to flee, the closing of the vote for the nominations had to be rejected.
In the midst of the catastrophe, the announcement will be made online, without pomp. Emilia Perez should “reap a large number” of nominations, predicted to AFP Pete Hammond, columnist for the specialized site Deadline.
This musical odyssey about the gender transition of a Mexican drug trafficker seems certain to compete for the Oscar for best film and for multiple musical or sound awards. Its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, should also be among the contenders for the Oscar for best actress, a historic first for a transgender actress.
Another pillar of the film, Zoe Saldaña should also be nominated for best supporting actress. But Selena Gomez, another headliner ofEmilia Perezcriticized for her diction in Spanish, could be shunned by the Academy.
Despite this, this feature film awarded at Cannes and distributed by Netflix could become the most nominated non-English film of all time. A record held by Tigers and Dragons (2000), by Taiwanese director Ang Lee, and Roma (2018), by Mexican Alfonso Cuaron, with ten nominations each.
“Emilia Perez is so strong in every category it could be nominated for,” observes Mr. Hammond.
High competition
However, the competition promises to be strong: the papal thriller Conclave et The Brutalista vast fresco on the life of a Jewish immigrant, should also receive a shower of nominations.
The musical Wickedthe Cannes Palme d’Or Anorathe second part of the science fiction saga Dune and the biopic on Bob Dylan, A complete strangershould also do well. But this year, it is among actresses that the race is toughest.
Demi Moore moved Hollywood by winning a Golden Globe in early January for The Substancea horrific fable by Frenchwoman Coralie Fargeat, where she plays a former Hollywood glory addicted to a youth serum.
She should be nominated, as is Mikey Madison for his role as a stripper dreaming of becoming a modern Cinderella in Anora. With Karla Sofía Gascón in the race, that leaves “two other places that are really difficult to predict,” according to Mr. Hammond.
-Angelina Jolie (Maria) and Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) have long been seen as strong candidates. But the Brazilian Fernanda Torres, crowned with a Golden Globe for I’m still hereand the British Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Two sisters) could well steal the show.
Among the actors, Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) is the big favorite, and will probably be joined by Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) and Timothée Chalamet (A complete stranger).
Hugh Grant could finally be nominated for an Oscar, thanks to the horror film Hereticin which he breaks his image of an eternal transfixed lover. And former James Bond Daniel Craig could complete the list, for his role in Queer.
The flames reshuffle the cards
Unless voters prefer Sebastian Stan and his disturbing portrait of Donald Trump’s youthful years, in The Apprentice.
The film was the subject of threats of prosecution from Donald Trump’s lawyers, in particular because of a scene where we see the new president of the United States raping his wife. The Academy “could send a political message,” believes Mr. Hammond.
Especially since these appointments leave the door open to surprises. Because by forcing thousands of people to flee Los Angeles, the fires could reshuffle the cards, reducing participation.
“We know that many members have lost their homes. (…) Some will simply not have voted,” thinks Mr. Hammond.
According to him, this could increase the influence of non-American voters, who live far from Hollywood and often prefer art-house films.
An additional asset up Jacques Audiard’s sleeve? “I don’t thinkEmilia Perez needs help,” Mr. Hammond smiled.
With AFP
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