Hollywood has officially unveiled the nominations for the 97th Academy Awards, celebrating the most outstanding films, performances, and creative achievements of the past year. This year’s announcement has already entered the history books, with one film emerging as the undisputed highlight of the awards season.
Leading all contenders is Sinners, which secured a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations, surpassing the long-standing record of 14 nominations previously shared by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). The historic milestone cements Sinners as the most nominated film in Oscar history and places it firmly at the center of global awards conversations.
The film’s strong showing spans major categories, including Best Picture, acting honors, directing, and screenwriting, underscoring its widespread critical and industry acclaim. With momentum building ahead of the ceremony, Sinners is widely viewed as the film to beat.
Following closely behind is One Battle After Another, which earned an impressive 13 nominations, marking it as another major contender across technical and performance categories. Meanwhile, Marty Supreme, Frankenstein, and Sentimental Value each collected nine nominations, while Hamnet secured eight nods, reinforcing the depth and competitiveness of this year’s field.
The Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 15 March, with renowned American comedian and television host Conan O’Brien confirmed as host. The event is expected to draw millions of viewers worldwide as Hollywood’s biggest stars gather to celebrate excellence in filmmaking.
Best Picture Nominees
The race for Best Picture reflects a diverse mix of genres, storytelling approaches, and international influences. The nominees are:
- Bugonia
- F1: The Movie
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
With ten strong contenders, the category is widely regarded as one of the most competitive in recent years.
Acting Categories
The performance categories feature a blend of established Hollywood icons and celebrated international actors.
Best Actor
- Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
- Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
- Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)
- Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
Best Actress
- Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
- Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)
- Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)
- Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value)
- Emma Stone (Bugonia)
Best Supporting Actor
- Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another)
- Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)
- Delroy Lindo (Sinners)
- Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)
- Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)
Best Supporting Actress
- Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value)
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value)
- Amy Madigan (Weapons)
- Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners)
- Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)
Directing and Screenwriting
This year’s directing and writing categories showcase bold storytelling and visionary filmmaking.
Best Director
- Chloé Zhao (Hamnet)
- Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme)
- Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)
- Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value)
- Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
Original Screenplay
- Blue Moon – Robert Kaplow
- It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi
- Marty Supreme – Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie
- Sentimental Value – Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier
- Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Adapted Screenplay
- Bugonia – Will Tracy
- Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro
- Hamnet – Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell
- One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Train Dreams – Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
Other Major Categories
Animated Feature
- Arco
- Elio
- KPop Demon Hunters
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
- Zootopia 2
Documentary Feature
- The Alabama Solution
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Cutting Through Rocks
- Mr Nobody Against Putin
- The Perfect Neighbor
International Feature Film
- The Secret Agent (Brazil)
- It Was Just an Accident (France)
- Sentimental Value (Norway)
- Sirāt (Spain)
- The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)
A Competitive Road to Oscar Night
With record-breaking nominations, international representation, and strong storytelling across genres, the 97th Academy Awards promise to be one of the most exciting ceremonies in recent memory. All eyes will be on Sinners to see whether it can convert its historic nominations into equally historic wins, or whether challengers such as One Battle After Another, Hamnet, and Sentimental Value will dominate on the night.
As the countdown to 15 March continues, anticipation is building among film lovers worldwide for what is shaping up to be a landmark Oscars ceremony.
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