But when you find that rarity, the diamond in a sea of glass, you want to see it celebrated. “I am so grateful to the Academy for their recognition of this film”. Set in an unnamed African country, the film was viscera and often hard to watch. It’s the day of the year where we see what are considered some of the best films of the year. “Star Wars”, though many can argue for both sides of the debate, was talked up as being a potential nominee, but it instead found nominations in the technical categories. Lots of male dudes on Twitter seem offended by this discussion.
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Since the debut of #OscarsSoWhite past year, the Academy itself has tried to combat the negative publicity by promoting diversity within itself.
Meanwhile, there was another snub that was being heatedly discussed. Of course, the fault lies as much with the industry from which the Academy draws its nominees as with the Oscars themselves: White men completely dominate Hollywood on both sides of the camera. “But this is not to take away the greatness (of the films nominated)”.
“I’m too attached to the movie to really understand or know what’s worthy of awards or not”.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” scored a best director nomination for Australian filmmaker George Miller. Other people and other places have limited roles to play in Hollywood. We are mostly allowed to be servants or sidekicks – stoic oppressed characters such as Hattie McDaniel in “Gone With the Wind” or Whoopi Goldberg in “The Color Purple” who astound audiences with our ability to sing Negro spirituals and maintain forgiving hearts even in the face of injustice.
If DiCaprio wins, it will be his first-ever Oscar in his 25-year career.
“You’ve done the work, I do not know why I should be nervous”. The Academy’s preferential voting system also works against films and actors not selected as voters’ top picks.
Of the 25 actors invited in that 2015, 17 were white. “Don’t get me wrong”.
Let’s look at 12 Years a Slave for a moment.
“The lack of African Americans and women excluded from the major categories of Oscar nominees is appalling”, said Najee Ali, NAN L.A.’s political director, in a statement.
He told Nick Grimshaw on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show: “The one reassuring thing about all this award season stuff is that you have absolutely no control over the outcome. We just have to trick white people into thinking the movie is about slavery”.
“The Revenant”, about a fur trapper mauled by a bear and left for dead by his companions, brought nominations for DiCaprio, who has never won an Oscar, and supporting actor for Tom Hardy. Its director, Mexican-born Alejandro Inarritu, past year took home the Best Director and Best Motion Picture prizes for the drama Birdman.
I’d like to say that it’s not because of the colour of their skin that Idris Elba and David Oyelowo were not nominated.
Leonardo DiCaprio has spoken of his delight at being nominated for best actor at the 2016 Oscars for his performance in revenge western The Revenant.
Mr Rylance has been nominated for his performance in the Steven Spielberg film “Bridge of Spies”.
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“The Academy Awards needs to do a better job at acknowledging diversity in Hollywood right now”, said Fandango managing editor Erik Davis. Not only common people; celebrities and spokespersons are also against it. I think it’s time for that to happen.
