J.A. Bayona’s ‘Society of the Snow’ makes Oscar shortlists

Juan Antonio Bayona’s Society of the Snow, Spain’s nomination for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, is among the 15 shortlisted productions. The next round will reduce the shortlist to the five official nominees. Bayona’s film also garnered nominations for visual effects, music, makeup and hairstyling. The drama portrays the famous 1972 plane crash in the Andes involving the Old Christians rugby team from Uruguay. It faces tough competition from the other 14 entries, including The Zone of Interest (U.K.), Fallen Leaves (Finland), 20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine), Totem (Mexico), Perfect Days (Japan), and The Taste of Things (France). The final five nominees will be announced on January 23.

In the live action short-film category, Pedro Almodóvar’s Western drama Strange Way of Life was shortlisted, along with Wes Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (based on the Roald Dahl story), and Misan Harriman’s The After, about a grieving rideshare driver who picks up a passenger who helps him confront the past.

In the documentary category, one notable film is The Eternal Memory by Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi. Another film on the shortlist is Netflix’s American Symphony (produced by Barack and Michelle Obama), featuring musician Jon Batiste, a five-time Grammy winner. Additionally, there is Beyond Utopia, the story of several families as they attempt to escape oppression in North Korea, and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, which follows the life of the beloved actor and what happens when an eternal optimist confronts an incurable disease.

Music

Barbie flexed her muscles again, securing nine nominations, which ties Bob Fosse’s record for Cabaret. Greta Gerwig’s comedy had three entries in the Best Original Song category with What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish and Finneas, I’m Just Ken by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, and Dance the Night by Dua Lipa. The film was also shortlisted for Best Music but missed out on makeup and hairstyling.

The new release of The Color Purple was nominated for two original songs (Keep it Movin’ and Superpower), as was Lenny Kravitz’s Road to Freedom theme song for Rustin, a film about the activist who helped Martin Luther King Jr. organize the 1963 Million Man March in Washington, DC. Rounding out the original song shortlist are Jon Batiste’s It Never Went Away and American Symphony, rapper ASAP Rocky’s Am I dreaming? (for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Pulp vocalist Jarvis Cocker’s Dear Alien for Asteroid City.

The late Robbie Robertson of The Band was nominated for his score in Killers of the Flower Moon by Martin Scorsese, as was Ludwig Göransson’s score for Oppenheimer. John Williams could receive his 54th Oscar nomination if his score for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is among the final five nominees. Randy Newman, a two-time Oscar winner for his scores of Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story 3, was shortlisted for Pixar’s animated Elemental.

Visual effects

In the Best Visual Effects category, ten movies have made the first cut. One of the top contenders is the Japanese film Godzilla: Minus One, offering a fresh take on the iconic monster that has captivated generations of movie fans. Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, which has received mixed reviews, was also shortlisted. Other contenders include Zack Snyder’s space saga, Rebel Moon: Part 1 – A Child of Fire, and the third installment of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.

Animated feature films

The Animated Feature Film shortlist (a misnomer since it had 30 films) included three Spanish productions: Robot Dreams, They Shot the Piano Player and Unicorn Wars.

The 96th Academy Awards, which will honor the best films of 2023, will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 10, 2024. The ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and hosted by comedian Jimmy Kimmel; this will be his fourth time hosting the event.

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