The films nominated for the 2024 Oscars, explained

The area of ​​interestthe film by Jonathan Grazer branded A24, is ready to shake Italian theaters. Inspired by novel of the same name by Martin Amisthe historical drama from the British director and screenwriter is the arch outsider of the 2024 Oscars (along with French Anatomy of a fall with whom he shares the actress Sandra Hüller). The film has, in fact, collected 5 nominations of weight; including the one for best director, best international film And Best movie of the year.

The area of ​​interest it is the story of a German family (husband, wife and five children) who live an apparently normal daily life in their house with swimming pool. A perfect picture if it weren't for the man he is Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), the SS officer in command of Auschwitzand that the idyllic garden house is adjacent to the concentration campwith them deliberately blind to the horror that is taking place beyond the wall that divides them.

Glazer narrates the Holocaust through photography (Łukasz Żal) with desaturated colors and immersive sound (Johnnie Burn), punctuated by the onomatopoeic noises of the extermination camp. But what is the «area of ​​interest»? And who would be the “poor creatures” in Yorgos Lanthimos' film, in the running for 11 statuettes? We explain the titles of the 10 films that will compete for the main Oscar (next March 11th).

American Fiction

In the running for five Oscars (including the biggest one), Cord Jefferson's directorial debut tells of a frustrated novelist played by Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) with, in particular, focus on the stereotypes of black literature in America. The title of the satirical comedy was inspired by the poem by Langston Hughes, Let America Be America Again written in 1935.

Anatomy of a fall

Second Palme d'Or in a row to compete for the main Oscar (after Triangle of Sadness by Östlund), the legal thriller by French director Justine Triet scored a total of 5 nominations. A woman (Sandra Huller) is suspected of murdering her husband (Samuel Theis), who was found lifeless at the foot of their chalet. The film reconstructs how man died, «vivisectioning» the relationship of the two protagonists.

Barbie

Eight Oscar nominations (including the most important one) for Greta Gerwig's record-breaking blockbuster, with Margot Robbie in the role of the iconic doll. Barbie (full name, Barbara Millicent Robert) is the brainchild of Ruth Handler That, inspired by her daughter Barbara and from her paper fashion dolls, she suggested to her husband Elliot (co-founder of Mattel) a line of adult-looking dolls.

The Holdovers

In the running for 5 Oscars (including the main one), Alexander Payne's dramedy takes us to a New England college in the Seventies, during the Christmas holidays spent in spite of themselves, together, by the problem student Angus Tully (newcomer Dominic Sessa ) and Paul Hunham, the unpopular professor played by Paul Giamatti. The «holdovers» are the waste, waste on the margins of society.

Killers of the Flower Moon

With 10 Oscar nominations (including the heaviest one), Martin Scorsese's latest, monumental effort (based on the essay by David Grann) tells the terrible story that bloodied the Osage native nation in the 1920s. The title refers to purple flowers which, during some lunar phases, are born in the fields of Oklahoma. The Osage called themprecisely, «flower moon».

Master

The film directed by and starring Bradley Cooper collects 5 Oscar nominations (including the main one). The biopic tells the life of Leonard Bernstein. The legendary composer of West Side Story, who died in 1990 at the age of 72. «Maestro» is an honorific title of respect that refers to conductors of orchestras. From its original Latin meaning (connected with magis, as minister with minus), it indicates one who is superior to others for power, dignity, authority.

Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan's film is the frontrunner of the 2024 Oscars, with its 13 nominations (including the most important one). Oppenheimer tells the true story of the American physicist Robert Oppenheimerfather of the atomic bomb, played by Cillian Murphy.

Past Lives

Two Oscar nominations (including best film) for Celine Song's directorial debut which tells the story of Nora and Hae Sung (Moon Seung-ah and Seung Min Yim), two very close-knit childhood friends. According to Korean philosophy of inyeon, everything is connected and has its origins in our past lives. Essentially, inyeon means fate, destiny. Past Lives is inspired by the true story of the South Korean writer-director, who moved to Canada as a child before traveling to New York City where she earned an MFA in playwriting from Columbia University.

Poor creatures!

In the running for 11 Oscars (including the main one), Yorgos Lanthimos' film – based on the novel by Alasdair Gray – introduces the eccentric surgeon Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) and Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), his latest “creation”. In the book we often talk about creatures and every single character is called “poor” or defines himself as such. The “poor creatures” of which the director tells they are all human beings.

The area of ​​interest

Five significant nominations (including the Oscar for best film) for Jonathan Grazer's historical drama. The story of a German family (husband, wife and five children) who live an apparently normal daily life in their house with swimming pool. A perfect picture if it weren't for the fact that the man is Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), the SS officer in command of Auschwitz, and that the idyllic house with garden is adjacent to the concentration camp, with them deliberately blind to the horror which is taking place beyond the wall that divides them. For Höss's wife, Hedwig (played by Sandra Hüller), the place was “a paradise”. «The area of ​​interest» is Kat Zet, as the concentration camp is called (KZ is short for Konzentrationslager).