Ava DuVernay directs David Oyelowo-Martin Luther King Jr. during the production of Selma. Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures
BY KAZAD
LOS ANGELES — After the Golden Globe Awards, the award seasons intensified Thursday with the announcement of the Oscar nominations by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As expected, many of the movies that did well during the Golden Globe Awards were also nominated for the Oscar. One movie that did not have a great showing at the Golden Globe but was nominated for the Academy Awards is Ava DuVernay’s Selma. The movie won its only Golden Globe for Best Original Song-Motion Picture.
On Thursday, Selma was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Song composed by Glory by John Legend & Common. The fact that the critically acclaimed movie was nominated for only two awards, in spite of great expectations, has given room for race and gender controversy. For many industry watchers, the maltreatment of a movie based on the life of one of America’s historic figures must have been engendered by the denouncement of the “other”. Above all, they contend that it affirms the biased criticism the movie has been receiving for weeks.
Since it came out, Selma has been the target of severe criticism from those who think it is historically inaccurate. To buttress their argument, they cite a section of the movie which they say present Lynden B. Johnson(LBJ) as lukewarm to the advancement of African Americans and the actualization of voting rights. While many agree with the critics of this section of the movie, there is a general consensus that it is not enough reason to minimize this epochal movie. “This is a great movie with great actors and amazing cinematography,” says Andrew who just finished watching the movie in Baltimore.
Many who have seen the Selma share this view that it is a great movie. In spite of all the criticism, the movie has received raving reviews. When it was shown in Selma recently, it brought tears to many eyes. The older audiences were taken on a historical trip to the past when blacks were tormented and brutalized. To effect change in Selma, Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) embarked on a protest, walking hand in hand through the streets with other protesters. What came after was a total assault on the protesters by the police. Skulls were smashed, bones were broken and people were killed.
Although Selma was nominated for two Oscar awards by the Academy, it was not the most celebrated film of the nominations despite doing better than many of the nominated movies. Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman and Richard Linklater’s Boyhood were showered with honors. Also nominated were The Grand Budapest Hotel, by Wes Anderson, and The Imitation Game, by Morten Tyldum. Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, James Marsh’s The Theory of Everything, and Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash were also nominated for several awards.
While many movies nominated are good enough to be nominated, the minimization of Selma as a movie deserving of greater attention at the Academy Awards has continued to be a sour point, and critics are not holding back on their criticism of the Academy. Since the announcement was made, the Academy has been bombarded with criticism of racial and gender prejudice. On Twitter and Facebook, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has come under intense criticism for not paying close attention to movies by and featuring people of color and women.
Besides the fact that many of the people nominated are white, many have criticized the Academy for not honoring women. Ava DuVernay, the director of Selma, many people have noted, should have been nominated for best director. In addition, they also contend that David Oyelowo who gave a rousing performance as Martin Luther King should have been nominated for the best actor.
Selma movie centers on a major protest against discrimination, segregation, and the dehumanization of African Americans in Selma, Alabama. It all began in 1964. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, many African Americans began embracing the new experience of integration. Sadly, that newly found experience was not widespread. In some areas of the South, discrimination was still rampant, making it very difficult for blacks to register to vote. Unable to stomach the discrimination and denial of their right to vote, many African Americans began to protest. In 1965, Selma, Alabama became the battleground in the fight for suffrage.
The epic march from Selma to Montgomery is one of the historical moments in Civil Rights history. In the march on Selma were important civil rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. On the Selma Bridge, protesters were brutally attacked by local authorities and white vigilante groups. Dogs were set on the people and the police mercilessly beat the peaceful protesters. Despite the violence, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the protesters were unrelenting. Their efforts culminated in President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Former U.S. Representative John Lewis has died. He was one of the civil rights leaders thoroughly beaten by local authorities and white vigilante groups during the 1965 Selma march, passed away on July 17, 2020. Stephan James played him in the Selma movie. In March 1965, John Lewis who was just 25 old joined hundreds of other civil rights advocates in marching from Selma to Montgomery. The objective was to draw attention to the need for voting rights in the state, which was infamous for denying African Americans the right to vote.
As part of his funeral, the body of this icon of the civil rights movement was taking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in a carriage drawn by two horses. Unlike in 1965, this peaceful crossing is aptly titled “The Final Crossing.” As the multi-day celebration of the life of the civil rights icon continues, he words and the experience at the Selma Bridge continue to reverberate:
We were beaten. We were tear-gassed. I thought I was going to die on this bridge. But somehow and someway, God almighty helped me here.
Although there has not been any direct response from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the speculation is that the major reason movies like Selma do not make the cut for nominations is because they are not released in time. And, since movie critics do not have the time to see movies that are released late, they cannot be included or will make a minimal impact during the Oscar Awards nominations. That argument has however been countered by critics of the Academy who contend that the job of critics, which is made up of dominantly white men, is to critique movies no matter when they were released. As a critic note “they need to get off their butt and do their work.”
The 87th Oscar will be held on Feb. 22. Below is a list of nominations. Here are the nominees in all categories:
Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees
Steve Carell
Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper
American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch
The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Eddie Redmayne
The Theory of Everything
Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees
Ethan Hawke
Boyhood
Edward Norton
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Mark Ruffalo
Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons
Whiplash
Robert Duvall
The Judge
Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees
Marion Cotillard
Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones
The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore
Still Alice
Rosamund Pike
Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon
Wild
Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees
Patricia Arquette
Boyhood
Laura Dern
Wild
Keira Knightley
The Imitation Game
Emma Stone
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Meryl Streep
Into the Woods
Animated Feature Film
Nominees
How to Train your Dragon 2
Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold
Song of the Sea
Tom Moore and Paul Young
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura
Big Hero 6
Don Hall, Chris Williams, and Roy Conli
The Boxtrolls
Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable, and Travis Knight
Best Picture
Nominees
American Sniper
Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan, Producers
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, and James W. Skotchdopole, Producers
Boyhood
Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland, Producers
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, Producers
The Imitation Game
Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman, Producers
Selma
Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
The Theory of Everything
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten, Producers
Whiplash
Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, and David Lancaster, Producers
Cinematography
Nominees
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Robert Yeoman
Ida
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
Mr. Turner
Dick Pope
Unbroken
Roger Deakins
Costume Design
Nominees
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Milena Canonero
Inherent Vice
Mark Bridges
Into The Woods
Colleen Atwood
Maleficent
Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive
Mr. Turner
Jacqueline Durran
Directing
Nominees
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Boyhood
Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher
Bennett Miller
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson
The Imitation Game
Morten Tyldum
Film Editing
Nominees
American Sniper
Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach
Boyhood
Sandra Adair
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Barney Pilling
The Imitation Game
William Goldenberg
Whiplash
Tom Cross
Foreign Language Film
Nominees
Leviathan
Russia
Tangerines
Estonia
Timbuktu
Mauritania
Wild Tales
Argentina
Ida
Poland
Makeup and Hairstyling
Nominees
Foxcatcher
Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier
Guardians of the Galaxy
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White
Production Design
Nominees
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
The Imitation Game
Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
Interstellar
Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
Into the Woods
Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Mr. Turner
Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts
Sound Editing
Nominees
Unbroken
Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro
American Sniper
Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
Interstellar
Richard King
Sound Mixing
Nominees
American Sniper
John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, and Walt Martin
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and Thomas Varga
Interstellar
Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker, and Mark Weingarten
Unbroken
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and David Lee
Whiplash
Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley
Visual Effects
Nominees
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
Guardians of the Galaxy
Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould
Interstellar
Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer
Music (Original Score)
Nominees
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alexandre Desplat
The Imitation Game
Alexandre Desplat
Interstellar
Hans Zimmer
Mr. Turner
Gary Yershon
The Theory of Everything
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Nominees
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
Boyhood
Written by Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher
Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler
Written by Dan Gilroy
Documentary (Short Subject)
Nominees
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry
Joanna
Aneta Kopacz
Our Curse
Tomasz Śliwiński and Maciej Ślesicki
The Reaper (La Parka)
Gabriel Serra Arguello
White Earth
Documentary (Feature)
Nominees
Citizenfour
Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy, and Dirk Wilutzky
Finding Vivian Maier
John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Last Days in Vietnam
Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
The Salt of the Earth
Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier
Virunga
Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara
Short Film (Animated)
Nominees
The Dam Keeper
Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
Feast
Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
Me and My Moulton
Torill Kove
A Single Life
Joris Oprins
The Bigger Picture
Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
Short Film (Live Action)
Nominees
Aya
Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
Boogaloo and Graham
Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)
Hu Wei and Julien Féret
Parvaneh
Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
The Phone Call
Mat Kirkby and James Lucas
Music (Original Song)
Nominees
The Lego Movie
“Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie; Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson
Selma
“Glory” from Selma; Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
Beyond the Lights
“Grateful” from Beyond the Lights; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me; Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
Begin Again
“Lost Stars” from Begin Again; Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Nominees
Inherent Vice
Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything
Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
Whiplash
Written by Damien Chazelle
American Sniper
Written by Jason Hall
The Imitation Game
Written by Graham Moore