The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is set to take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, starting at 4:00 PM West Coast Time, with red carpet coverage beginning at 3:30 PM. The event will be broadcast in the US on ABC and streamed live on Hulu, but the Academy has announced a major shift: starting in 2029, the Oscars will end its long-standing partnership with ABC and stream exclusively on YouTube, marking the end of a tradition over half a century old.
Host Conan O’Brien, returning for his second consecutive year, emphasized the challenge of balancing entertainment with acknowledgment of global realities during a news conference. He stated that his team is refining material to keep the show current, noting that world events will be reflected in the program. The ceremony will feature last year’s acting winners—Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison, and Zoe Saldana—as presenters, joined by a star-studded lineup including Javier Bardem, Chris Evans, Demi Moore, and others.
Musical performances will include Rei Ami, EJAE, and Audrey Nuna performing "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters," and Miles Caton reprising "I Lied to You" from "Sinners" alongside songwriter Raphael Saadiq. The latter performance is designed as a tribute to Black artistry across generations, featuring artists like Misty Copeland and Brittany Howard. "Sinners" leads with a record-breaking 16 nominations, surpassing previous records, while "One Battle After Another" follows with 13 nods, and "Frankenstein," "Marty Supreme," and "Sentimental Value" each have nine.
International cinema has a strong presence this year, with every major acting category including at least one international nominee. Arab cinema achieved a significant milestone with "The Voice of Hind Rajab" nominated for Best International Feature Film; the docudrama dramatizes the final hours of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024. Gaza-based filmmaker Mohammed al-Sawwaf highlighted that the nomination transforms Rajab’s death from a news statistic into a cultural memorial, shedding light on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s "It Was Just an Accident" is nominated in two categories, submitted by France rather than Iran due to its critical stance toward the Iranian government. Panahi, who shot the film clandestinely in Iran, expressed concern for his homeland amid ongoing conflict. The nominations also include surprises, such as Delroy Lindo’s first Oscar nomination for "Sinners," the unexpected Best Picture nod for "F1," and Kate Hudson’s first nomination in 25 years for "Song Sung Blue." Notable snubs include "Wicked: For Good" receiving no nominations and omissions for Paul Mescal and Guillermo del Toro.
As the ceremony approaches, competition has tightened, with "Sinners" gaining momentum against "One Battle After Another" for top awards. Predictions favor Jessie Buckley for Best Actress for "Hamnet" and Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor for "Sinners," while Teyana Taylor and Sean Penn are strong contenders for supporting roles for "One Battle After Another." The event underscores the Oscars’ evolving role in reflecting global issues while celebrating cinematic achievements.
Source: www.aljazeera.com