The Selena Gomez ballad “Mi Camino,” the Will Ferrell and Harper Steele road trip documentary “Will & Harper” and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s pulsating “Challengers” score are one step closer to an Oscar nomination. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled shortlists in 10 categories Tuesday, including for documentary, international feature, best song and score.
Two musicals, “Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked,” were well represented in the categories. Netflix’s audacious transgender drug-lord drama “Emilia Pérez” was most named, advancing in international feature, original score, two original songs including “Mi Camino” and “El Mal” (performed by Zoe Saldaña), sound and hair and makeup.
“Wicked” also moved forward in several categories, like hair and makeup, original score, sound and visual effects. The adaptation of the Broadway musical did not include original songs and therefore wasn’t eligible in that category.
The song semifinalists include several notable artists, like Pharrell Williams for “Piece by Piece,” Lainey Wilson for her “Twisters” song “Out of Oklahoma,” Elton John and Brandi Carlile for “Never Too Late” and Robbie Williams for “Forbidden Road” from “Better Man.” Diane Warren may also be heading for a 16th nomination for her song from “The Six Triple Eight.” Nicholas Britell’s “Winter Coat,” performed by Saoirse Ronan in “Blitz,” was also included, as was Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Tell Me It’s You” from “Mufasa: The Lion King,” performed by Aaron Pierre and Tiffany Boone.
Among the 15 documentaries eligible for nominations are “The Bibi Files,””Daughters,” “Eno,” “Frida,””The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” “Dahomey,” “Union,” “Porcelain War” and “No Other Land.”
There are also 15 international features advancing, including “I’m Still Here” (Brazil), “Universal Language” (Canada), “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Germany), “Kneecap” (Ireland), “Vermiglio” (Italy), “Flow” (Latvia) and “Dahomey” (Senegal).
As most of the shortlists are in below-the-line categories celebrating crafts, there are also films that aren’t necessarily the most obvious of Oscar contenders. “Deadpool & Wolverine” was singled out for both sound and visual effects, as was “Alien: Romulus” which also got a nod for score.
“Dune: Part Two,” included in visual effects, sound and makeup and hair, was notably nt among the 20 score finalists. Hans Zimmer’s work was not eligible because it contained too much preexisting music from the first “Dune.” He did make the cut for “Blitz,” however, as did Danny Elfman for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Kris Bowers for “The Wild Robot,” Bryce Dessner for “Sing Sing” and Daniel Blumberg for “The Brutalist.”
For the most part, shortlists are determined by members in their respective categories, though the specifics vary from branch to branch: Some have committees, some have minimum viewing requirements.
These lists will narrow to five when final nominations are announced on Jan. 17. The 97th Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be held on Sunday, March 2, broadcasting on ABC and streaming live on Hulu.
Here’s a rundown of the shortlists announced today:
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred sixty-nine films were eligible in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“The Bibi Files”
“Black Box Diaries”
“Dahomey”
“Daughters”
“Eno”
“Frida”
“Hollywoodgate”
“No Other Land”
“Porcelain War”
“Queendom”
“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin”
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”
“Sugarcane”
“Union”
“Will & Harper”
DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred four films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Chasing Roo”
“Death by Numbers”
“Eternal Father”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”
“Keeper”
“Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World”
“Once upon a Time in Ukraine”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
“Planetwalker”
“The Quilters”
“Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr”
“A Swim Lesson”
“Until He’s Back”
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Fifteen films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. Films from 85 countries and regions were eligible in the category.
Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Brazil, “I’m Still Here”
Canada, “Universal Language”
Czech Republic, “Waves”
Denmark, “The Girl with the Needle”
France, “Emilia Pérez”
Germany, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
Iceland, “Touch”
Ireland, “Kneecap”
Italy, “Vermiglio”
Latvia, “Flow”
Norway, “Armand”
Palestine, “From Ground Zero”
Senegal, “Dahomey”
Thailand, “How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies”
United Kingdom, “Santosh”
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Ten films will advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 97th Academy Awards. All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar® consideration.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“The Apprentice”
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
“A Different Man”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Maria”
“Nosferatu”
“The Substance”
“Waltzing with Brando”
“Wicked”
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Twenty scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred forty-five scores were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The scores, listed in alphabetical order by film title, are:
“Alien: Romulus”
“Babygirl”
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
“Blink Twice”
“Blitz”
“The Brutalist”
“Challengers”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“The Fire Inside”
“Gladiator II”
“Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1”
“Inside Out 2”
“Nosferatu”
“The Room Next Door”
“Sing Sing”
“The Six Triple Eight”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
“Young Woman and the Sea”
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Fifteen songs will advance in the Original Song category for the 97th Academy Awards. Eighty-nine songs were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title:
“Forbidden Road” from “Better Man”
“Winter Coat” from “Blitz”
“Compress/Repress” from “Challengers”
“Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”
“El Mal” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Sick In The Head” from “Kneecap”
“Beyond” from “Moana 2”
“Tell Me It’s You” from “Mufasa: The Lion King”
“Piece By Piece” from “Piece by Piece”
“Like A Bird” from “Sing Sing”
“The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”
“Out Of Oklahoma” from “Twisters”
“Kiss The Sky” from “The Wild Robot”
“Harper And Will Go West” from “Will & Harper”
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. Eighty-eight films qualified in the category. Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
In the nominations round, Academy members from the Animation Branch and Short Films Branch are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Au Revoir Mon Monde”
“A Bear Named Wojtek”
“Beautiful Men”
“Bottle George”
“A Crab in the Pool”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”
“Magic Candies”
“Maybe Elephants”
“Me”
“Origami”
“Percebes”
“The 21”
“Wander to Wonder”
“The Wild-Tempered Clavier”
“Yuck!”
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Fifteen films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. One hundred eighty films qualified in the category. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate and must view all 15 shortlisted films to vote.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Anuja”
“Clodagh”
“The Compatriot”
“Crust”
“Dovecote”
“Edge of Space”
“The Ice Cream Man”
“I’m Not a Robot”
“The Last Ranger”
“A Lien”
“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
“The Masterpiece”
“An Orange from Jaffa”
“Paris 70”
“Room Taken”
SOUND
Ten films will advance in the Sound category for the 97th Academy Awards. All eligible members of the Sound Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. Academy members will be invited to view excerpts from each of the shortlisted films beginning Thursday, January 9, 2025, in the San Francisco Bay area, followed by London, Los Angeles and New York on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Alien: Romulus”
“Blitz”
“A Complete Unknown”
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Gladiator II”
“Joker: Folie à Deux”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
VISUAL EFFECTS
Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 97th Academy Awards. The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist. All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Branch members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
“Alien: Romulus”
“Better Man”
“Civil War”
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Gladiator II”
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
“Mufasa: The Lion King”
“Twisters”
“Wicked”
Nominations voting begins on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and concludes on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
Nominations for the 97th Academy Awards will be announced on Friday, January 17, 2025.
The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC, streamed live on Hulu and airs live in more than 200 territories worldwide.
