The Oscars are about to begin. The Dolby Theater in Los Angeles is already rolling out its red carpet. In a matter of days, some of the most important people in the movie world will walk down the famous carpet for the final awards ceremony of the year after the Emmys, the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs.
However, the ceremony at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Hollywood is still the favorite. The event will take place on Sunday, March 10 with the 96th edition of the Oscar Awards and, similar to the previous edition, the gala will once again feature several Hispanic names thanks to the following nominees:
'Society of the Snow,' Juan Antonio Bayona
One of the favorites to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Film is "Society of the Snow," The movie based on the experiences of the travelers of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 that crashed in the Andes mountain range in 1972 hit theaters in December and has been a success ever since.
It was chosen to be one of the nominees at the most important gala in the cinematographic world. This would be Juan Antonio Bayona's first Oscar. To win, he'll need to beat "The Zone of Interest," the movie that is the favorite in this category from the United Kingdom.
"Society of the Snow" is Spain's big chance for an Oscar. The movie was directed by Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona. The United States sponsored the project which has a cast made up of Argentine and Uruguayan actors. All of them, like Bayona, were very involved in promoting the movie, attending events both in Spain and in the rest of the world:
After 12 weeks in theaters, we continue with the same 110 copies since its premiere. This week we are in Arenas De San Pedro, Caspe, Chiclana, Durango, Éibar, Guardo, Ciutadella, Navalmoral de la Mata, Posadas, Ripoll and Santa Eulàlia de Riu. SOCIETY OF THE SNOW. Don't miss the experience of seeing it or repeating it on the big screen.#SnowSociety #SocietyOfTheSnow
Tras 12 semanas en cines continuamos con las mismas 110 copias desde su estreno.
Esta semana llegamos a Arenas De San Pedro, Caspe, Chiclana, Durango, Éibar, Guardo, Ciutadella, Navalmoral de la Mata, Posadas, Ripoll y Santa Eulàlia de Riu.
LA SOCIEDAD DE LA NIEVE
No te pierdas… pic.twitter.com/4hZcRJ4HZm— JA Bayona (@FilmBayona) March 1, 2024
You already know that we'll see you tomorrow at the Gaumont? It is a very special theater and very loved by the actors and I love that they are showing #SocietyoftheSnow there, some of us will be there to chat a little bit, at 22:00! Come and see the movie again!!!! Haha
Ya saben que nos vemos mañana en el gaumont??? Es un cine muy especial y muy querido por las y los actores y me encanta q den #LaSociedadDeLaNieve ahí, vamos a estar algunos para charlar un poquito, a las 22! Vengan a ver la peli una vez más!!! Jeje
— Pau Baldini (@paubaldini) February 28, 2024
There is so much footage... 600 hours of footage.... 10 different films possible. #SocietyoftheSnow
es que hay tantas tomas...
600 horas de material filmado.... 10 películas diferentes posibles. #LaSociedadDeLaNieve pic.twitter.com/KqT7c7yEYD— Enzo (@Nousotwiterrrrr) February 24, 2024
"Society of the Snow" is not only competing for Best International Film. Juan Antonio Bayona's movie could also win another award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Maite Alberdi, 'The Eternal Memory'
Chilean Maite Alberdi could also walk away with an Oscar. In her case, the director is up for the Oscar for Best Documentary for "The Eternal Memory."
It is the second nomination that the Chilean has received in this category. In 2021, Radio UdeC reported that Alberdi was also up for the award for "The Mole Agent," although, in the end, the Oscar went to "My Octopus Teacher," by Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster.
In this case, Alberti focuses the documentary on the love story between journalist Augusto Góngora and actress and former minister Paulina Urrutia. They were in a relationship for more than two decades that was cut short when one of them, Góngora, found out that he had Alzheimer's. As a result of this, "The Eternal Memory" was born, a documentary that deals in depth with the problems derived from this disease and which won, a few weeks ago, the Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film.
'Robot Dreams,' Pablo Berger
Spain has two chances for an Oscar this year. First, it's up for Best Foreign Film for "Society of the Snow" by director Juan Antonio Bayona. However, that is not the only Spanish movie in the running. The country could also take home an Oscar for Best Animated Film for "Robot Dreams," by Pablo Berger.
The movie tells the story of a dog and a robot who live in New York in the 1980s. Set in the Robot Dog comic created by Sarah Varon, the movie, created in Navarra and Madrid, was a great success. It won Spanish awards such as the Forqué, the Feroz and even the Goya.
This Sunday the animated film could win an Oscar, beating projects from large companies such as Netflix or Disney. The movie's production manager, Marta Busqueta, spoke to Noticias de Navarra:
There is a moment when you almost don't believe it... we are next to the greatest. I'm going to travel to Los Angeles, with Maite (Miqueo) and part of the team, and we are all very excited. The fact that a Spanish animated film will be recognized at the Oscars is incredible.
America Ferrera, 'Barbie'
The actress with Honduran roots, America Ferrera, is without a doubt the best-known Hispanic competing in this 96th edition of the Oscars. She is up for an Oscar for her role in the highest-grossing movie of 2023, "Barbie." Ferrera has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Gloria:
This is one of the nominations that Greta Gerwig's movie has received, which, despite its success in theaters, only has eight nominations in the most important awards ceremony in the industry. Ferrera told Variety:
It’s an overwhelming amount of love and support and congratulations to me. I feel it so deeply and am so grateful for their love and support and in this moment. It’s been a long ‘Barbie’ journey — I mean longer even for Greta and Margot and Noah, it’s been years and years and years — everyone’s really excited that we get to celebrate and to end this journey at the biggest party of the year.
Colman Domingo, 'Rustin'
Colman Domingo, an actor with Guatemalan roots and Afro-Latino representative, could end the evening with the Oscar for Best Leading Actor for his role in "Rustin." The 54-year-old actor is up for the award for his role playing Bayard Rustin, a gay African-American activist who fought for civil rights in 1963, organizing the March on Washington for jobs and freedom where Martin Luther King delivered his famous speech "I Have a Dream."
It is true that to do so he will have to defeat Cillian Murphy who is the favorite for his role in "Oppenheimer." However, the emotional role played by the Afro-Latin performer could be the surprise of the night and give the actor the long-awaited Oscar.
Becky G, 'Flamin' Hot'
Eva Longoria made her debut as a film director in the movie that tells the story of how Flamin' Hot Cheetos were invented. "Flamin' Hot" could surprise everyone and be one of the Oscar winners. It is true that, in this case, it is not competing for any of the big prizes, but could win it in one of the musical categories.
Specifically, the movie is up for the Best Song award for "The Fire Inside." The song was also performed by Hispanic singer Becky G and composed by Diane Warren. Becky G was moved by the nomination. She uploaded an emotional video on her Instagram and said:
We’re nominated, guys, for an Oscar. And I just wanted to say thank you so much to Diane and Eva for allowing me to be a part of this beautiful project because this film, this team, this song represents something so close to my heart. It is my heart.
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Pablo Larraín, 'El Conde'
Chilean director Pablo Larraín is also up for an Oscar. He was nominated for Best Photography for "El Conde." The movie, which is a fictional representation of Augusto Pinochet as a vampire, shows the political and social environment that Chile, Larraín's country of origin, is going through:
Larraín wasn't just responsible for the photography. The director had Edward Lachman help with the design. His work has already been recognized by the Hollywood Academy of Arts and Sciences on two occasions. Specifically, his photography in the Todd Haynes movies, "Far from Paradise" (2002) and "Carol" (2015) were previously nominated for an Oscar.
However, Lachman told El País that he never thought that his work on "El Conde" would attract the attention of Hollywood. For this reason, he explains, the nomination was surprising:
You're always a little surprised. But obviously, this movie is not on Hollywood's radar. I got recognition from my fellow cinematographers, from people I respect. I was very happy that Pablo, the technicians and Chile obtained this recognition.
Rodrigo Prieto, 'Killers of the Flower Moon'
The Oscar for Best Photography also has another Latin American nomination. In this case it goes to the director of photography from "Killers of the Flower Moon," Rodrigo Prieto. The Mexican cinematographer is favored to win the Oscar in this category and will be the only Mexican representative during the 96th edition of the Oscar Awards.
However, it is not his first nomination. The Academy gave him an Oscar in 2005, 2016 and 2019 for "Brokeback Mountain," "Silence" and "The Irishman," respectively.
The last two movies were directed by Martin Scorsese. The two worked together in "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) and "Killers of the Flower Moon," a movie that has also been nominated for an Oscar. He also worked on the photography for the 2023 blockbuster "Barbie." Prieto spoke about Scorsese during an interview with the magazine of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Hollywood, A.frame. He explained that Scorsese is one of the few directors who is a "master at those words, in terms of the language of cinema":
In the case of cinema, filmmakers try to express something that maybe they can't explain with words. And if there is anybody that's a master at those words, in terms of the language of cinema, it's Scorsese. He uses the camera to express ideas that maybe he doesn't even know what exactly they mean. But we create these shots — he creates these shots and I execute them — that really say things.
Other Latin Oscar nominations
These seven nominations are not the only Hispanic candidates competing for an Oscar this Sunday, March 10. Mexican and Puerto Rican producer David Hinojosa could take home the Oscar for Best Film for "Past Lives."
The producer of "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," Cuban-American Phil Lord, could take home an Oscar for Best Animated Film. This is Lord's third nomination from the Hollywood Academy of Arts and Sciences.
