With the Academy’s nominations announcement drawing closer by the day, it’s time to lay it all on the line with my final Oscar nomination predictions. American Symphony, Beyond Utopia, and 20 Days in Mariupol feel like the strongest contenders for Best Documentary with nominations from BAFTA, Critics Choice, and PGA. That trifecta is impossible to ignore and you’d think our eventual winner will come from this pack.
The biggest question mark remains around Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. It swept the Critics Choice Documentary Awards and has dominated the wins from the critics groups. But so did last year’s Good Night Oppy; a film that couldn’t even land on the Academy’s shortlist, let alone score an Oscar nomination. The fact Still scored a BAFTA nomination showed it’s a stronger contender than Oppy, but, of course, that nod came after Oscar nomination voting closed. I’m keeping it in there, but my confidence is low. As for the fifth spot, let’s go with Four Daughters, which stands an outside chance of sneaking into the Best International Feature race too.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE PREDICTIONS:
1. American Symphony (Netflix) – BAFTA, CCA, PGA
2. Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions) – BAFTA, CCA, PGA
3. 20 Days in Mariupol (PBS) – BAFTA, CCA, CEH, PGA
4. Four Daughters (Jour2Fête) – CEH
5. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple Original Films) – BAFTA, CCA, CEH
Alternate: 32 Sounds (Abramorama) – CEH
