Both men tested positive for Covid-19 shortly after appearing in the Baftas 13 days ago and are seeking a negative lateral flow test to qualify for the Oscars. Many in the industry have reported a plethora of positive cases after numerous ceremonies and parties over the past fortnight. Meanwhile, the Oscar winner for best film – for months considered a padlock for The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion’s western starring Benedict Cumberbatch as an oppressed rancher – is now hanging in the balance. It was assumed that Campion’s film would follow in the tracks of Nomadland, which won major awards last year. However, a delayed rise in momentum for another female-directed film threatens to dethrone Campion’s well-funded epic on Netflix. Coda, Apple TV +’s first original film, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January and was released in the US in August with mediocre reviews. However, Sian Heder’s little domestic drama about a hearing-impaired family in a Massachusetts fishing village has quickly evolved from a dark horse to a pioneer. The latest… Emilia Jones champion at Coda. Photo: AP The film, which has been screened only about 375,000 times – by far the lowest of all nominations for best film – won the top award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month and went on to win the Producers Guild of America Awards last Saturday. PGAs are considered a particularly important bell, not only because they mark the last major ceremony before the Oscars, but also because they are decided by a privileged voting system. And while fans of The Power of the Dog are numerous and passionate, Campion’s film has also been considered cold and lengthy by some members of the Academy, which means it is likely to be ranked ninth or tenth by many. Heather’s film, meanwhile, an unsolicited adulthood story, has instilled great warmth and goodwill in voters, ensuring that even if it is not first or second on a ballot, it is unlikely to lag far behind. Earlier this week, Joe Biden gave the Coda cast and crew a tour of the White House. One of the stars of the film stated that the president and the first lady “loved” the “issue of family authenticity”. Heather was left out of the list of best directors at the Oscars. a snob that some voters may want to fix elsewhere. A decade ago, Ben Affleck was similarly excluded from this category. His film, Argo, won the best film. The category of top actors is less certain. Jessica Chastain’s turn as TV evangelist Tammy Faye is the close favorite However, Campion is sure to triumph in the director’s category. Now 67, New Zealand is the first woman to be nominated twice and would be only the third to win (after Chloé Zhao in 2021 and Kathryn Bigelow in 2010). Other definite bets include Will Smith in the Best Actor category for his role as the father of Aphrodite and Serena Williams in King Richard and Troy Kotsour in the second actor race for Coda. Second actress Ariana DeBose looks set to be the top winner of West Side Story for her screen debut. The category of top actors remains less certain. Jessica Chastain’s transformation into TV evangelist Tammy Faye is very popular, but Penelope Cruz (in Pedro Almodδόvar’s Parallel Mothers) and Olivia Coleman (for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Lost Daughter) could make a comeback. The 94th Oscars return to a large Dolby Theater after last year’s social media ceremony at Union Station in Los Angeles. Ratings for this show have dropped by more than 50% year-on-year, and incoming TV producer Will Packer aims to reverse the trend with a show celebrating popular cinema, including a new #FanFavorite Award and a performance of the top We don’t chart. Walk About Bruno from the Disney movie Encanto, even though she was not a nominee. Eight craft awards will be given shortly before the main performance and the speeches will be broadcast live – a move that has upset many members of the Academy. Three new hosts – Amy Sumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall – will oversee the process, marking the first time in four years that the Oscars will have a total MC. Earlier this week, Sumer expressed his willingness for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make a video appearance. It is said that he refused.
