It’s proving tough to nail down five directors likely to land in the Academy’s good graces. Frontrunners Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) and Sean Baker (Anora) still feel like our only two genuine certainties, especially after landing nominations at both the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics Choice Awards. The same can be said for Edward Berger (Conclave), Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), and Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), so will the Academy follow suit with the same five?
For that to happen, we’re looking at another nomination snub for Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two). Unfortunately, as the weeks barrel on, it’s starting to feel more likely. How did we get here again? You’d also have to ignore a strong contender like CCA nominee RaMell Ross (The Nickel Boys), who’s performing well with the critics groups plus a win at the Gotham Awards. Or maybe GG nominee Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light) could really prove how unfathomable it was for India not to select her film for Best International Feature. I think that fifth spot is really the only one up for grabs and I’m sticking with Fargeat for now.
BEST DIRECTOR PREDICTIONS:
1. Brady Corbet – The Brutalist (A24) – CCA, GG, Spirit
2. Sean Baker – Anora (Neon) – CCA, GG, Gotham, Spirit
3. Edward Berger – Conclave (Focus Features) – CCA, GG
4. Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez (Netflix) – CCA, EFA, GG
5. Coralie Fargeat – The Substance (MUBI) – CCA, GG
IN CONTENTION
Pedro Almodóvar – The Room Next Door (Sony Pictures Classics) – EFA
Jon M. Chu – Wicked (Universal Pictures) – CCA
Robert Eggers – Nosferatu (Focus Features)
Tim Fehlbaum – September 5 (Paramount Pictures)
Luca Guadagnino – Queer (A24)
Greg Kwedar – Sing Sing (A24)
James Mangold – A Complete Unknown (Searchlight Pictures)
Payal Kapadia – All We Imagine as Light (Janus/Sideshow) – GG, Gotham
Mohammad Rasoulof – The Seed of the Sacred Fig (NEON) – EFA
RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys (Amazon MGM Studios) – CCA, Gotham
Denis Villeneuve – Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) – CCA
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