Let's start with the Italian film nominated for Best International Film at the 96th Oscar ceremony: 'I Captain' is the thirty-third Italian film in history nominated for an Oscar for the best international film, what in past years was called 'foreign film'. Director Matteo Garrone is competing for the first time: if he were to win, he would become the fifteenth Italian in the history of the Academy, consolidating our lead in the category. The last Italian film to win was, ten years ago, 'The Great Beauty' by Paolo Sorrentino; the last candidate, in 2022, 'It was the hand of God', also by Sorrentino.
On the interpretation front, a curiosity concerns the actresses nominated as best protagonists of 2024. Emma Stone is in fact one of the big favorites for her interpretation in 'Poor Creatures'. It would be the second time for her, after having won the same award in 2017 for 'La La Land': if she won, the actress would become part of those very few and very selected actresses who have won two Oscars by the age of 35: Meryl Streep , Jodie Foster, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Luise Rainer, Olivia de Havilland and Hilary Swank). Incredibly, no actor has ever achieved the feat. 'Poor Creatures!', the film starring Stone, is the fifth Golden Lion winner since 2017 to receive an Oscar nomination for best film, and with 11 nominations it ranks second after frontrunner 'Oppenheimer' (13). For Yorgos Lanthimos it is the second attempt to win the directing prize: if he wins he would be the first of Greek origins.
For the second consecutive year, the winner of the Palme d'Or is nominated for the Oscar for best film: it's 'Anatomy of a Fall', which was not selected by France for best international film (the designated The Taste of Thing was left out) and then collected 5 nominations, all important. 'Perfect Days' is Wim Wenders' first film competing for the international film Oscar. The German master, 79 years old next August, had received three nominations for best documentary (2000 with 'Buena Vista Social Club', 2012 with 'Pina' and 2015 with 'The Salt of the Earth').
'Killers of the Flower Moon' with 10 nominations allows Martin Scorsese to surpass Steven Spielberg, becoming the active director with the highest number of nominations (ten, the first in 1980 with Raging Bull; he only has one statuette for The Departed, 2006). Only William Wyler (12) was better than him. This year he is also the only American in the five (the others, in addition to the aforementioned Lanthimos and Triet, are the British Jonathan Glazer and Christopher Nolan). Its protagonist, Lily Gladstone, becomes the first Native American in the running for the Oscar for best actress. And Robert De Niro gets the ninth nomination of his career, the eighth for his performance: he won his first Oscar for best supporting actor exactly half a century ago with The Godfather – Part II.
Love also triumphs at the Oscars: there are four couples in life and work nominated for the 2024 Oscars. They are Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas, both producers of 'Oppenheimer'; Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, screenwriters of 'Barbie'; Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, screenwriters of 'Anatomy of a Fall' and Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley, candidates for the production of the same film. John Williams, 92 years old on February 8th, confirms himself as a man of records: the legendary composer, already winner of five Oscars, obtains nomination number 54 thanks to Indiana Jones and the Quadrant of Destiny, consolidating his absolute record as the most nominated living individual in the history of the Academy (only Walt Disney is better than him with 59). And singer-songwriter Diane Warren reaches 15 with the song The Fire Inside from Flamin 'Hot: this time too she doesn't seem destined to win, but last year the Academy has already rewarded her with an Oscar for her lifetime achievement .
Jodie Fosteralready winner of two Oscars and in the running for supporting role for 'Nyad', obtains the fifth nomination in forty-seven years, twenty-nine years after the last attempt. Annette Bening, protagonist of 'Nyad', who has never been awarded until now, is attempting to win the statuette for the fifth time in thirty-three years. And Bradley Cooper, thanks to 'Maestro' which he directed, produced, wrote and starred in, reaches 12 nominations in his career.
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