Oscars 2019: 9 category shortlists announced, India's entry misses out
As the year draws to a close, the award season begins. The best films of the year are soon going to be rewarded and there is no better-known award ceremony than the Oscars. While the ceremony itself will be held on February 24, 2019, at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre in Hollywood & Highland Center, shortlists for 9 categories were announced. Read all about it here.
India's film crashes out of the Oscar shortlist
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists for 9 categories of the 91st Oscars recently. India's official entry to the Oscars, Village Rockstars, unfortunately, did not make the list of 9 foreign films that were shortlisted. Nonetheless, the competition was fierce and included films like the Palme d'Or winning Japanese movie Shoplifters and this year's much-loved film by Alfonso Cuaron, Roma.
A brief about Cuaron's 'Roma'
Cuaron's Roma explores Cleo's coming of age. The film sets her experiences against the backdrop of the sociopolitical incidents taking place in Mexico at that time, including student protests. The film uses poetic black and white shots to tell the captivating story.
In Visual Effects category, three main competitors are Marvel movies
Cuaron's Roma is not only a favorite for the Foreign Language Film category, but is a frontrunner for Best Film too. In Best Visual Effects category, all three main competitors are Marvel movies. Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp are all vying for first place. While Infinity War is likely to win, Black Panther is being considered for Best Picture nomination.
Poland's 'Cold War' may make big splash at the Oscars
Apart from Shoplifters and Roma, which will likely give fierce competition, the foreign films from other countries include Colombia's Birds of Passage. Also on this list is Germany's Never Look Away, The Guilty from Denmark, Ayka from Kazakhstan, Lebanon's Capernaum, and South Korea's Burning. We are also excited about Pawel Pawlikowski's film from Poland, Cold War, which won big at the European Film Awards.
These films have also been shortlisted in Visual Effects category
Most blockbusters today rely heavily on visual effects and the list reflects that. Apart from the Marvel giants we mentioned, Welcome to Marwen, First Man and Christopher Robins also made the list. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom unsurprisingly made the cut along with Emily Blunt-starrer recent blockbuster Mary Poppins Returns. Solo: A Star Wars Story and Steven Spielberg directed Ready Player One, are also shortlisted.
