While the Oscars ’23 is still a long way ahead, nominations for the celebrated awards ceremony have already begun. Among the many celebrated creations, Gujarati film Chhello Show, translated to Last Film Show in English, has been announced as India’s official entry to the Oscars 2023. The movie has been selected in the Best International Feature Film category. Here are some of this year’s other Oscar winning films that are generating a buzz.
Belfast – Best Original Screenplay
Photo Courtesy: IMDb
A semi-autobiographical drama written and directed by Kenneth Brannagh, Belfast is a coming-of-age story that borrows heavily from Brannagh’s childhood experiences in Belfast. The movie portrays the ideological war between the Protestants and Catholics in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1960, focusing on a Protestant family and their 9-year-old boy named Buddy. Growing up in Belfast during what was a period of unrest in Northern Ireland, Buddy and his family find themselves in a catch-22 situation amidst this ethno-nationalist conflict, with their lives becoming increasingly unsafe in Belfast. Adding to their troubles, Buddy falls in love with Catherine, a Catholic classmate. Belfast earned seven nominations at the Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Ciarán Hinds, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Judi Dench, Directing, Sound, Writing (Original Screenplay), and Original Song for Down To Joy, by Van Morrison.
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CODA – Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur), Best Picture
Photo Courtesy: Coda / Instagram
An acronym for Child of Deaf Adults, CODA is a coming-of-age dramedy about a girl named Ruby who is CODA, aka the only hearing member in an otherwise deaf family. Being the only hearing member, Ruby’s family is dependent on her to communicate with the community which means running the family’s fishing business as well. However, after joining her school choir, Ruby finds herself drawn to both her duet partner Miles and her latent passion for singing which she wishes to pursue. This decision is not taken well by her family, as they need Ruby to stand by as their interpreter, heading their sinking fishing business. In addition to winning three Oscars, the movie made history for being the first film to star a predominantly deaf cast in leading roles, with Troy Kotsur being the first deaf actor to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Role.
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Dune – Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects
Photo Courtesy: IMDb
A sci-fi adventure based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel by the same name, Dune depicts the story of Paul Atreides and his noble family who travel to the planet of Arrakis, a desert like planet that has no water but is filled with a very coveted spice called melange – a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Set many years into the future, Paul arrives on Arrakis after his father accepts the stewardship of the planet, however, chaos ensues as forces clash to control melange, while Paul himself becomes troubled by visions of a dark future. The movie is only the first of an eight part series and was received with ten accolades making it the second movie with the highest nominations at the Oscars this year.
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Encanto – Best Animated Feature
Photo Courtesy: IMDb
A computer-animated fantasy film, Encanto tells the story of the Madrigals, an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a magical land called Encanto. The magic behind Encanto is that it blesses every child in the family with a unique and magical gift. While every child in the family is blessed with some gift or the other, young protagonist Mirabel is the only one who is without. While Mirabel becomes increasingly frustrated about not having any magical powers, she soon becomes what is the last shred of hope for the people who slowly begin to lose their magic. Mirabel discovers that the magic surrounding the land of Encanto is slowly disappearing and so she sets out to uncover the reason behind this phenomenon. The movie is filled with some of the catchiest tunes, all composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, among which the beloved tune “We Don’t Talk about Bruno” has become Disney’s longest-running chart-topper in the studio’s history.
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King Richard – Best Actor (Will Smith)
Photo Courtesy: IMDb
The real life story behind the success of star sportswomen, Serena and Venus Williams, King Richard is a biopic based on their father Richard Williams. The movie is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin, with the Williams sisters serving as executive directors for the film. Coming from an underprivileged background, the Williams sisters are trained by their coach and father, Richard Williams, who maintains a steady game plan for his daughters’ success. He trains and pushes them to win, helping them rise to the top and dominate the world of women’s tennis.
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The Eyes of Tammy Faye – Best Actress (Jessica Chastain), Best Makeup & Hairstyling
Photo Courtesy: The Eyes of Tammy Faye / Instagram
A biographical film based on the 2000’s documentary of the same name by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, The Eyes of Tammy Faye tell the story of broadcaster Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband, Jim Bakker, a disgraced televangelist. Set in the 1970s, this film showcases Tammy and Jim’s rise from humble beginnings to the creation of their religious broadcasting network and Christian theme park. While Tammy Faye becomes legendary for her indelible eyelashes and her idiosyncratic singing, she is remembered for her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life including supporting the LGBT community and people with Aids in the 80s, and defying the homophobia of the Christian right in America. However, financial improprieties, scheming rivals and a scandal soon threaten to topple their carefully constructed empire.
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The Power of the Dog – Best Director
Photo Courtesy: IMDb
An American Western film directed by Jane Campion, The Power Of The Dog is based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name. The movie tells the story of a rancher Phil Burbank and his brother George. George marries a woman named Rose who comes to live with them along with her teenage son. Charismatic yet domineering, Phil makes it a point to make the wife and her son’s lives a living hell by mocking and intimidating them, until the unexpected happens — Phil finds himself exposed to the possibility of love. The movie went on to receive as many as 12 Oscar nominations, making it the first film directed by a woman to ever receive more than 10 nominations.
