Long known for a lack of minority representation, this year’s Oscars award ceremony will feature nominees that span across many diverse groups that have not been prominently seen in years past.

    The 93rd Academy Awards will take place on April 25 at the Dolby Theater featuring all live television elements and no virtual meetings as there were in the Golden Globes. 

    With theaters shut down around the world due to the pandemic, some films were more difficult to see this year, but that did not stop students from guessing which movies would take home an award.

     After a poll was sent out to the students at Penn-Trafford, over 50 percent of students believed that “Judas and the Black Messiah” would be taking home the Best Picture award. “Nomadland” and “Sound of Metal” tied for the second most votes. 

  It seems as though the front runner, “Nomadland,” will be winning the category of Best Picture. This drama already had success at the Golden Globes and the BAFTA film awards, creating a sense of anticipation of whether or not they can take home another accomplishment. 

    One category in which “Nomadland” is nominated is the Best Director category, with Chloe Zhao as the nominee. Another woman up for the award is Emerald Fennell for her direction of “Promising Young Woman.”

    This is important on many levels because if Zhao or Fennell were to win, they would be only the second female director to ever win this category, the other being Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”). It is also important to note that Zhao is the first woman of color to ever receive the Best Director nomination. 

     While “Nomadland” is seemingly the favorite to win, there are two films that should come close.

    The first is the dramatic thriller “Promising Young Woman.” The movie is a testament to the harassment women face throughout their lives. Lead actress Carey Mulligan’s performance made her worthy of her Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination as she portrayed a powerful role that speaks for the ninety seven percent of women around the world who have been sexually harassed. 

     Another nominee that should be taking home the award this year is “Judas and the Black Messiah”. A relevant story with an impressive cast, the film offers a visual epic that at its core offers an account of true historical events that matter to the present. 

     Both films are a testament to world issues that are not extremely prevalent to today, but are also told with impeccable storytelling and beautifully shot cinematography.

    These movies are not the only contenders with diversity among them. The Korean drama “Minari” has become the dark horse of the Oscars, with many of its fans rallying behind it to win the Best Picture category. If Minari were to win, it would be the second foreign language film to do so, the first being “Parasite” from the 92nd Academy Awards. 

     As time goes on, more diverse films arise in mainstream media and go on to be noticed by prestigious awards. This could not be more true for this year’s Oscars awards, where a multitude of people, cultures, and movements are represented and appreciated for their work in the art of cinema.

Maddie Decker, Managing Editor