Oscars show to be reinvented as a film, say producers: 'Hopefully unique'

A "teeny-tiny" red carpet, no invitations for Hollywood's most powerful moguls, and a "central" role for masks – next week's in-person Oscars are taking no risks when it comes to Covid-19, but the event still would have been "impossible" to hold just weeks earlier, say producers.

The 93rd Academy Awards will mark the first time Tinseltown's finest have assembled in more than a year, for a three-hour show that co-producer Steven Soderbergh said is "not going to be like anything that's been done before".

The delayed Sunday, April 25 ceremony takes place barely a week after California opened vaccinations to all over-16s, with infection rates plummeting after a massive winter surge ripped through the state. Cinemas are even reopening.

Asked about the impact of the show's two-month postponement, Soderbergh said on Saturday: "It would have been impossible for us to do what we're gonna do ... I don't know how we would have done it.

"This is the working definition of trying to build an airplane while it's in the air," the director told a virtual press conference, adding that his experience of making films during the pandemic – and his 2011 thriller Contagion – had proven invaluable.

The ceremony will take place amid the "physical grandeur" of Los Angeles's cavernous Union Station, with nominees mingling outdoors and then rotated in and out of the venue during the show.

The traditional red carpet will be dramatically downsized, and the guest list will be so limited that even powerful Disney boss Bob Iger "won't be there", said Soderbergh.

Speaking from the venue's courtyard – where only nominees, their plus-ones and a handful of presenters will chat and drink – Soderbergh said he hopes the Oscars will present the world "a glimpse of what's going to be possible when most people are vaccinated, and rapid, accurate, cheap testing is the norm".

"Masks are going to play a very important role in the story of this evening," he added. "If that's cryptic, it's meant to be – but that topic is very central to the narrative."

'Snapshot of movies'

Soderbergh and fellow producers Jesse Collins and Stacey Sher are keeping many details under wraps, but said the unusual and "hopefully unique" nature of a pandemic-era Oscars "certainly opened up an opportunity to try some things that haven't been tried before".

The ceremony will have "the aesthetic of a film as opposed to a TV show," including use of movie-like "over-the-shoulder shots from within the audience" and high-resolution, widescreen formats, said Soderbergh.

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Most nominees are expected to attend in person, with hubs in London and Paris set up allowing Europeans unable to travel because of restrictions to dial in – but only via slick, industry-standard satellite hookups, not Zoom.

Recent awards shows have been slammed for their heavy use of remote calling for nominees, particularly after Daniel Kaluuya briefly lost audio as he accepted his Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in Judas and the Black Messiah.

"Zoom has been a great thing, we're on it constantly," said Soderbergh. "It's just in the context of this show... that doesn't really fit."

Following the awards-show-as-a-movie concept, no host has been announced, but presenters – billed as the ceremony's "cast" – will be "playing themselves, or ... a version of themselves."

Previously announced A-list presenters include Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt and Reese Witherspoon, with more set to be unveiled before the show.

Nominees will be asked to share personal stories, in a show set to make extensive use of interviews.

"The stories have been incredible, so helpful to us," said Soderbergh. "And a wonderful archive – a snapshot of movies in 2020."

England-South Africa Test series

1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London

2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham

3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London

4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
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Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Gothia Cup 2025

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Electric scooters: some rules to remember

Riders must be 14-years-old or over
Wear a protective helmet
Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
Do not drive outside designated lanes

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Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)

Sunday, May 17

Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)

Monday, May 18

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Defending champions

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International Vets: Joining Jack