Oscar 2025 Shortlists: A Glimpse into the Year's Most Compelling Cinema

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled the shortlists for the 97th Academy Awards®, setting the stage for a captivating awards season. Among the numerous films vying for recognition, two stand out as frontrunners: the French crime musical Emilia Pérez and the Broadway adaptation Wicked. This announcement marks a crucial step towards the Oscars ceremony, offering valuable insights into potential nominees.

The Rise of Emilia Pérez and Wicked

Emilia Pérez, a French film, secured an impressive six shortlists, more than any other film. This includes the International Feature Film category as the French submission, along with nominations for Original Score, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, and two original songs, “El Mal” and “Mi Camino”. This remarkable achievement underscores its strong position in the race for nominations.

Close behind is Wicked, securing four shortlist mentions, demonstrating its significant impact and popularity. Several other films, including Dune: Part Two, Alien: Romulus, Gladiator II, The Wild Robot, and Blitz, received three mentions each, highlighting their noteworthy contributions.

A Look at the Shortlisted Films

The Academy announced shortlists across 10 categories, including Visual Effects, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score and Original Song), Sound, Live Action Short Film, Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature Film, and Documentary Short Film. The prestigious International Feature Film category also unveiled its shortlisted selections, bringing together a diverse range of cinematic works from around the globe.

Notably absent from the International Feature Film shortlist is the acclaimed Indian film “All We Imagine as Light,” a surprising omission given its Golden Globe nominations and Cannes Film Festival success. This decision highlights the complex selection processes within the international film arena. This snub, along with others, can provide early indications of who’s building momentum and might win big, or, which films might be completely snubbed on nominations morning.

The Road to the Oscars: A Multi-Stage Journey

The Academy’s shortlists will be further narrowed down to five nominees per category in January 2025, and nominations will be announced on January 17th. The final Oscar ceremony will take place on March 2nd, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, airing live on ABC and Hulu, and shown globally. Before then, the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and the British Academy Film Awards will unveil their own nominations, further shaping the awards season narrative. These earlier awards ceremonies often provide strong indicators of films and individuals that go on to succeed at the Oscars.

This year, the Golden Globes have already announced their nominations with Emilia Pérez dominating the musical/comedy category, securing a record-breaking 10 nominations. This further strengthens its potential for Oscar success.

Beyond the Shortlists: The Bigger Picture

While the shortlists provide an exciting preview of the potential nominees, it’s important to remember that the biggest categories, such as Best Picture, acting categories, screenwriting, and directing, don't have a shortlist process. Academy members will vote directly from a vast pool of submissions. This means that even films with fewer shortlist mentions could still emerge as major contenders.

The journey to the Oscars is a complex process that involves numerous stages, branches and juries. Sometimes, the most-shortlisted films do go on to be big winners, but this isn’t always the case. Even so, these shortlists offer valuable early indicators to help determine which movies are gaining traction.

The Final Countdown: Predicting the Unpredictable

The Academy Awards are renowned for their surprises and unexpected turns. While the shortlists give us a compelling preview of potential winners, the final nominations and winners remain unpredictable, offering the thrill of a true contest. The coming weeks and months will certainly be filled with anticipation and excitement as the race for the 97th Academy Awards heats up, with predictions and speculation from different sources and critics. As we eagerly await the final nominations, we’re reminded that the power of cinema lies not only in awards but also in the unique experiences shared through the magic of storytelling. The anticipation builds as the world waits to see which films will take home the coveted golden statuettes.

The Oscars will certainly be an exciting night, full of surprises, joy, and hopefully, no tears.