Oscar nominations 2021: Chloe Zhao and Emerald Fennell are nominated for the Best Director award
Chloe Zhao and Emerald Fennell made history on Monday morning.
The filmmakers were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director; this is the first time that two female directors have been put up for the same distinction.
This awards season has seen many women and people of color being nominated for various Oscars, and the ceremony is shaping up to be the most inclusive one ever as the Academy recently implemented new diversity rules.
Big achievement: Chloe Zhao and Emerald Fennell were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, making it the fist time in history that two female filmmakers have been nominated at the same time; Zhao is seen in September of last year
Zhao was nominated for her work on Nomadland, which had its initial premiere last year.
The 38-year-old filmmaker’s feature is centered on a woman named Fern, who begins traveling the United States in a van after losing her job and husband.
The film was based on the book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, which was written by journalist Jessica Bruder.
In addition to helming the feature, Zhao wrote its screenplay and acted as one of its producers.
Great picture: The filmmaker was nominated for her work on the film Nomadland, which had its initial debut at the Venice Film Festival last year
Racking them up: Nomadland was put up for various other Oscars, including the awards for Best Picture and Best Actress for Frances McDormand; the film’s lead actress and director are pictured together in September of 2020
Nomadland had its initial premiere at the Venice Film Festival last September and went on to have a wide streaming release in February.
The picture has garnered high critical acclaim and took home multiple awards at the recently held Golden Globes ceremony, including the distinctions for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director.
Zhao’s film was also nominated for numerous other Oscars, including the awards for Best Picture and Best Actress for the feature’s star, Frances McDormand.
Fennell was nominated for the award for Best Director for her work on the film Promising Young Woman, which debuted at last year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Solid director: Emerald Fennell was nominated for the Oscar for her work on Promising Young Woman, which made its debut at last year’s Sundance Film Festival; she is pictured in 2015
High praise: The media figure’s directorial debut received much positive critical attention for the performance of its cast and timely themes
The film follows the story of a woman named Cassie, who attempts to exact justice on a man who had sexually assaulted her friend in high school.
The 35-year-old filmmaker and author also wrote the script for the feature and acted as one of its producers; Margot Robbie served in the same capacity.
Promising Young Woman was also Fennell’s feature directing debut, as she had previously focused on acting and writing novels.
The feature was the focus of much positive critical attention upon its initial release, with many reviewers pointing out the lead actors’ performances and coverage of timely themes.
Working hard: In addition to directing Promising Young Woman, Fennell wrote Promising Young Woman’s screenplay and served as one of its producers; Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham are seen performing in the movie
It has also been nominated for the awards for Best Picture and Best Actress, with the latter focusing on the film’s star, Carey Mulligan.
The Academy Awards have been in existence for 93 years.
Only five women have ever been nominated for Best Director. They include Lina Wertmüller (1976′s Seven Beauties), Jane Campion (1993′s The Piano), Sofia Coppola (2003′s Lost In Translation), Kathryn Bigelow (2009′s The Hurt Locker), and Greta Gerwig (2017′s Lady Bird).
It is a surprise that two women made the category this year. It is also the first time a woman of Asian decent (Zhao) has been nominated.
Although the ceremony is usually held at the Dolby Theater, located in Los Angeles, this year’s Oscars will be hosted at multiple venues in an effort to minimize person-to-person contact.
The Academy Awards are set to take place on April 25th after being pushed back from its original air date of February 28th.
Serious accolades: Fennell’s film was also nominated for the award for Best Picture, and its lead actress, Carey Mulligan, was also put up for the Best Actress award
93rd Academy Awards: Who are the 2021 Oscar nominees?
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Gary Oldman – Mank
Steven Yeun – Minari
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman – The Father
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Youn Yuh-jung – Minari
Best Director
Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round
David Fincher – Mank
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Colman is up for her role in The Father
Best Music (Original Score)
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Opera
Yes-People
Best Live Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye
Best International Feature Film
Another Round
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Best Sound: Greyhound – a war film starring Tom Hanks – is up for the gong
Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Soul
Sound of Metal
Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
News of the World
Tenet
Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Pinocchio
Best Music (Original Song)
Fight for You – Judas and the Black Messiah
Hear My Voice – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Husavik – Eurovision Song Contest
Io Si (Seen) – The Life Ahead
Speak Now – One Night in Miami…
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is vying for the award
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the eight films nominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day – The United States vs Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami…
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
Best Animated Feature Film: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is nominated
Best Costume Design
Emma
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Mulan
Pinnochio
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father
Nomadland
One Night in Miami…
The White Tiger
Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time
Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Judas and the Black Messiah is up for the gong
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet