93rd Oscars: everything you need to know before Sunday’s show

Despite a year where cinemas and theatres remained largely closed and many productions had to push back releases, Hollywood’s biggest night of the year is fast approaching.

The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony takes place this Sunday in Los Angeles – and for us in the UK who are planning to tune in, it will mean a late night as the event starts at around 1 am GMT on Monday and finishes in the early hours.

There are a plethora of fantastic films and talented people up for awards this season, so here is a rundown of everything you need to know before Sunday.

Best Picture nominees

The main feature of the night of course is the Best Picture nominees. With stiff competition all around this year, here are the eight nominees:

Mank – a monochromatic piece telling the story of the writing of Citizen Kane, with Gary Oldman playing social critic and screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz. This leads the way with 10 total nominations.

Judas And The Black Messiah – biographical drama telling the betrayal of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) in the late 60s. Up for six awards.

The Father – starring Olivia Colman and Sir Anthony Hopkins, this story of a father and daughter deals with dementia. Up for a total of six awards.

Nomadland – Frances McDormand plays a widow during the late 2000s recession who has lost everything and begins a journey through America living as a nomad. Nomadland was a big winner at the BAFTAs and is up for six awards.

Minari – starring Steven Yeun and Yuh-jung Youn, this familial drama is about a Korean family starting a farm in Arkansas in the 80s and is up for six awards.

Promising Young Women – Carey Mulligan stars in the dark revenge tale of a woman out to prove a point about men who prey on drunk women. Nominated for five awards this year.

The Trial Of The Chicago 7 – starring Oscar regulars Sacha Baron Cohen and Eddie Redmayne, this historical legal drama follows a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters – the Chicago 7 – charged with conspiracy and inciting riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Up for six awards.

Sound Of Metal – Riz Ahmed stars as a talented drummer who is desperate to return to normal life after losing his hearing. This is also nominated for six awards.

Best Actress Nominees

Carey Mulligan: Promising Young Women

Frances McDormand: Nomadland

Viola Davis: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Vanessa Kirby: Pieces of a Woman

Andra Day: The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Best Actor Nominees

Riz Ahmed: Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins: The Father

Gary Oldman: Mank

Steven Yeun: Minari

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Glenn Close: Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Colman: The Father

Amanda Seyfried: Mank

Yuh-Jung Youn: Minari

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

Sacha Baron Cohen: The Trial of the Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya: Judas and the Black Messiah

Leslie Odom Jr.: One Night in Miami

Paul Raci: Sound of Metal

LaKeith Stanfield: Judas and the Black Messiah

Best Director Nominees

Chloé Zhao: Nomadland

Lee Isaac Chung: Minari

David Fincher: Mank

Emerald Fennell: Promising Young Women

Thomas Vinterberg: Another Round

Best Documentary Nominees

Collective

Crip Camp

The Mole Agent

My Octopus Teacher

Time

Best International Feature

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Quo Vadis, Aida?

Denmark: Another Round

Hong Kong: Better Days

Romania: Collective

Tunisia: The Man Who Sold His Skin

Best Animated Feature

Onward

Over the Moon

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Soul

Wolfwalkers

So where can you watch these films? There has been a massive delay in releases due to the pandemic, and so many featured films have only just been made available for UK viewers – some are still to be launched too.

The Father will be shown in cinemas from June if restrictions stick to current plans. Nomadland comes to Disney+ on April 30, and Sound Of Metal and Promising Young Woman were both released last week on Amazon Prime Video and Sky Cinema.

As for the rest, patience will be a virtue as we await the releases either in June or on streaming platforms soon.

What nominees are you hoping to see go home with the iconic golden statue this year?