The 2022 Oscars may be seven months away, but as film festival season ramps up, critical acclaim and word-of-mouth praise have already powered some movies to the forefront of awards contention.
Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage is one name being touted as on his way to a Best Actor nod, while Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Princess Diana in the divisive Spencer could see her on the list when the nominations are announced early next year.
While Hollywood has always been quick to start sniffing out Oscar opportunities almost as soon as the curtains have fallen on the previous Academy Awards, this year’s shorter window for eligibility has also had an effect.
Usually given a full year to qualify for the Oscars, this year, owing to the pandemic pushing back the 2021 Oscars to April 26, the contenders’ window has been reduced to 10 months and films have to be released between March 1 and Friday, December 31 to be considered. The knock-on effect has caused some early frontrunners to emerge now.
With the 94th Academy Awards approaching on March 27, here are some of the stars and films who’ll likely be battling it out to take home a gold statue.
Best Picture
The streaming platforms are coming in hard this year, with offerings from Netflix, Amazon Studios and Apple TV+ all likely contenders alongside established studios such as Warner Bros and Sony.
Netflix’s The Power of the Dog, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, is a frontrunner. The drama, centred around two brothers who manage a ranch, is directed by Jane Campion, the second woman ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and the first female filmmaker to receive the Palme d'Or at Cannes for 1993’s The Piano.
King Richard, in which Will Smith portrays tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams’ tennis coach father, is another favourite in this category, alongside Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tick, tick ... BOOM!. Two remakes, Denis Villeneuve's Dune and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, are also considered strong contenders.
Best Director
British actor and director Kenneth Branagh, who has been nominated for an Oscar five times across different categories, is considered a shoo-in for Best Director for Belfast, an autobiographical film about his childhood in Northern Ireland amid the Troubles.
Familiar names crop up in this category – none of them female, although Campion may get a nod for The Power of the Dog – including Pedro Almodovar and Villeneuve. Almodovar’s Spanish-language film Parallel Mothers, starring Penelope Cruz, received a nine-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, while Villeneuve’s remake of cult classic Dune is one of this year’s most highly anticipated films.
Adam McKay, who has previously been nominated in this category for The Big Short and Vice, returns with Netflix’s Don’t Look Up, which stars a veritable who’s who of Hollywood including Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett.
Best Actor
Dinklage is already being touted in this category as he takes on the role of the legendary Cyrano de Bergerac in Joe Wright’s Cyrano, a film that was also written by Dinklage’s wife, Erica Schmidt.
Cumberbatch is likely to hear his name called out in the nominations for The Power of the Dog, alongside Clifton Collins Jr for Jockey, in which an ageing rider embarks on his final season on the racing circuit.
Andrew Garfield has been garnering attention for his turn as a theatre composer in the midst of a midlife crisis as he approaches 30 and feels he hasn’t realised his dreams in Miranda’s tick, tick ... BOOM!. Smith’s name will almost certainly be on the ballot for King Richard, while Denzel Washington could add a third statuette to his collection for his role in The Tragedy of Macbeth, in which he takes on the title role of Shakespeare’s treacherous Scottish general-turned-king.
Best Actress
Recognisable names and former Oscar winners already crowd the field in this category, including this year’s Best Actress winner, Frances McDormand. McDormand, who won in 2021 for Nomadland, returns as Lady Macbeth in Apple TV+'s The Tragedy of Macbeth, which could potentially be her fourth Oscar win.
Jennifer Lawrence in Don’t Look Up, Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Nicole Kidman in Being the Ricardos also enter awards season in coveted positions. Jennifer Hudson could be nominated for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect, and Outlander’s Caitriona Balfe could secure her first nomination for Belfast.
Leading the pack right now is Stewart for playing Princess Diana in Spencer, with Tessa Thompson for Passing and Jodie Comer for The Last Duel also considered contenders.
Best Supporting Actor
Corey Hawkins is one to watch for his portrayal of Macduff in The Tragedy of Macbeth, as well as Jeffrey Wright – who’ll also be lighting up the big screen as James Bond’s CIA contact Felix Leiter in No Time To Die – for his performance as Roebuck Wright in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch.
If Garfield doesn’t get nominated in the Best Actor category, he stands a chance of making an appearance here for his performance opposite Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye – or he could potentially be named in both. Ben Affleck has been gaining traction for Amazon Studio’s The Tender Bar, and another Oscar winner, JK Simmons, looks likely to be nominated for Being the Ricardos.
Rounding out the group could be Jared Leto, unrecognisable and going full-on method in House of Gucci, and Jamie Dornan for Belfast, in which he portrays the father.
Best Supporting Actress
Already a clear frontrunner is Dunst for The Power of the Dog, which will be coming to Netflix in November. Marlee Matlin, the only deaf performer to have won an Oscar for 1986’s Children of a Lesser God, could also find herself in the running for Apple TV+’s Coda, while actress and director Regina King could add a second Best Supporting Actress Oscar to her mantlepiece for her role in cowboy movie The Harder They Fall, in which she stars alongside Idris Elba.
Grandes dames Judi Dench and Meryl Streep could muscle their way into contention with Belfast and Don’t Look Up, respectively, and Ruth Negga is a strong contender for Passing. Long shots include Alicia Vikander for Blue Bayou and Amy Adams for Dear Evan Hansen.
Company%20profile
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The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Match info:
Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
SERIES INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Table
The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff
1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
BELGIUM%20SQUAD
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About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
