Showing posts with label predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label predictions. Show all posts

2012-02-23

2012 LMdC Oscars predictions

Nominees My Take & Results
Best Picture

  • The Artist 



  • The Descendants



  • Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close 



  • The Help



  • Hugo 



  • Midnight in Paris 



  • Moneyball 



  • The Tree of Life 



  • War Horse 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: The ArtistMy Vote: The Tree of Life

    Best Actor

  • Demian Bichir, A Better Life 



  • George Clooney, The Descendants



  • Jean Dujardin, The Artist



  • Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 



  • Brad Pitt, Moneyball

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Jean Dujardin
    My Vote: Gary Oldman
    Best Actress

  • Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs 



  • Viola Davis, The Help



  • Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 



  • Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady



  • Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Viola Davis, The Help
    My Vote: Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo





    Best Supporting Actor

  • Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marylin 



  • Jonah Hill, Moneyball



  • Nick Nolte, Warrior



  • Christopher Plummer, Beginners



  • Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

    My Vote: Jonah Hill, Moneyball



    Best Supporting Actress

  • Bérénice Bejo, The Artist 



  • Jessica Chastain, The Help 



  • Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids



  • Janet Mcteer, Albert Nobbs 



  • Olivia Spencer, The Help 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

    My Vote: Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
    Best Director

  • Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist-



  • Alexander Payne, The Descendants 



  • Martin Scorsese, Hugo



  • Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris 



  • Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Martin Scorsese
    My Vote: Terrence Malick
    Original Screenplay

  • Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist



  • Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids



  • J.C. Chandor, Margin Call 



  • Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris 



  • Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Woody Allen

    My Vote: Woody Allen
    Adapted Screenplay

  • Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, The Descendants 



  • John Logan, Hugo



  • George Clooney, Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon, The Ides of March 



  • Steven Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin, Moneyball



  • Birdget O'Connor & Peter Straughan, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
    My Vote: George Clooney, Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon
    Cinematography

  • Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist 



  • Jeff Cronenweth, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 



  • Robert Richardson, Hugo



  • Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life 



  • Janusz Kaminski, War Horse 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
    My Vote: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
    Film Editing

  • The Artist 



  • The Descendants



  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 



  • Hugo 



  • Moneyball

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The Artist
    My Vote: The Artist
    Art Direction

  • The Artist



  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 



  • Hugo



  • Midnight in Paris 



  • War Horse

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Hugo

    My vote: Midnight in Paris
    Costume

  • Anonymous 



  • The Artist



  • Hugo 



  • Jane Eyre 



  • W.E. 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Jane Eyre

    My Vote: The Artist




    Makeup

  • Albert Nobbs 



  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 



  • The Iron Lady 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Albert Nobbs

    My Vote: Albert Nobbs


    Original Score

  • John Williams, The Adventures of Tintin 



  • Ludovic Bourse, The Artist 



  • Howard Shore, Hugo



  • Alberto Iglesias, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 



  • John Williams, War Horse 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Ludovic Bourse, The Artist
    My Vote: Ludovic Bourse, The Artist 


    Original Song

  • "Man or Muppet" from The Muppets, Bret Mckenzie 



  • "Real in RIO" from Rio, Sergio Mendes, Carlinos Brown, Siedah Garrett

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    "Man or Muppet" from The Muppets, Bret Mckenzie My Vote: "Man or Muppet" from The Muppets, Bret Mckenzie





    Sound Mixing

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 



  • Hugo



  • Moneyball 



  • War Horse 



  • Transformers: Drak of the Moon 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    My Vote: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    Sound Editing

  • Drive 



  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 



  • Hugo 



  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon



  • War Horse 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: War Horse

    My Vote: Drive
    Visual Effects

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 



  • Hugo 



  • Real Steel



  • Rise of the Planet of the Apes



  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
    My Vote: Hugo
    Animated Feature Film

  • A Cat in Paris



  • Chico & Rita



  • Kung Fu Panda 2



  • Puss in Boots



  • Rango

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Kung Fu Panda 2My Vote: Rango





    Foreign Language Film

  • Bullhead (Belgium)



  • Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)



  • A Separation (Iran)



  • Footnote (Israel)



  • In Darkness (Poland)

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    A Separation (Iran)
    My Vote: Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
    Documentary Feature

  • Hell and Back Again 



  • If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front 



  • Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory 



  • Pina 



  • Undefeated 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Pina My Vote: Pina




    Documentary Short

  • The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement



  • God is the Bigger Elvis



  • Incident in New Baghdad 



  • Saving Face



  • The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Saving FaceMy Vote: God is the Bigger Elvis



    Animated Short

  • Dimanche/Sunday 



  • The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore 



  • La Luna



  • A Morning Stroll 



  • Wild Life

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore My Vote: La Luna
    Live Action Short

  • Pentecost



  • Raju 



  • The Shore



  • Time Freak 



  • Tuba Atlantic 

  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Raju

    My Vote: The Shore

    2010-03-08

    Results for my Oscar poll: 11/24

    Nominees My Take & Results
    Best Picture
  • Avatar
  • The Blind Side
  • District 9
  • An Education
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • A Serious Man
  • Up
  • Up in the Air
  • The Winner: The Hurt Locker
    My Prediction: Avatar
    My Vote: Inglorious Basterds

    Best Actor
  • Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
  • George Clooney, Up in the Air
  • Colin Firth, A Single Man
  • Morgan Freeman, Invictus
  • Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
  • The Winner: Jeff Bridges
    My Prediction: Jeff Bridges
    My Vote: Jeremy Renner

    Best Actress
  • Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
  • Helen Mirren, The Last Station
  • Carey Mulligan, An Education
  • Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
  • The Winner: Sandra Bullock
    My Prediction: Sandra Bullock
    My Vote: Meryl Streep

    Best Supporting Actor
  • Matt Damon, Invictus
  • Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
  • Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
  • Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
  • Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
  • The Winner: Christoph Waltz
    My Prediction:
    Christoph Waltz
    My Vote: Christoph Waltz

    Best Supporting Actress
  • Penelope Cruz, Nine
  • Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
  • Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
  • Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • The Winner: Mo'Nique
    My Prediction: Mo'Nique
    My Vote: Penelope Cruz

    Best Director
  • Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
  • James Cameron, Avatar
  • Lee Daniels, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
  • Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
  • The Winner: Kathryn Bigelow
    My Prediction:
    Kathryn Bigelow
    My Vote: Kathryn Bigelow tie Quentin Tarantino

    Original Screenplay
  • Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
  • Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
  • Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman, The Messenger
  • Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
  • Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy, Up
  • The Winner: Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
    My Prediction: Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
    My Vote:
    Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

    Adapted Screenplay
  • Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell, District 9
  • Nick Hornby, An Education
  • Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche, In the Loop
  • Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
  • The Winner: Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
    My Prediction:
    Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
    My Vote:
    Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell, District 9

    Cinematography
  • Mauro Fiore, Avatar
  • Christian Berger, The White Ribbon
  • Bruno Delbonnel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker
  • Robert Richardson, Inglourious Basterds
  • The Winner: Mauro Fiore, Avatar
    My Prediction:
    Mauro Fiore, Avatar
    My Vote:
    Christian Berger, The White Ribbon

    Film Editing
  • Avatar
  • District 9
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • The Winner: The Hurt Locker
    My Prediction:
    The Hurt Locker
    My Vote: The Hurt Locker

    Art Direction
  • Avatar
  • The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
  • Nine
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • The Young Victoria
  • The Winner: Avatar
    My Prediction: Avatar
    My Vote:
    The Young Victoria

    Costume
  • Bright Star
  • Coco Before Chanel
  • The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
  • Nine
  • The Young Victoria
  • The Winner: The Young Victoria
    My Prediction:
    Nine
    My Vote:
    The Young Victoria

    Makeup
  • Il Divo
  • Star Trek
  • The Young Victoria
  • The Winner: Star Trek
    My Prediction:
    The Young Victoria
    My Vote:
    The Young Victoria

    Original Score
  • James Horner, Avatar
  • Alexandre Desplat, Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders, The Hurt Locker
  • Hans Zimmer, Sherlock Holmes
  • Michael Giacchino, Up
  • The Winner: Michael Giacchino, Up
    My Prediction:
    Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders, The Hurt Locker
    My Vote:
    Michael Giacchino, Up

    Original Song
  • "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham
  • "Loin de Paname" from Paris 36, Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas
  • "Take It All" from Nine, Maury Yeston
  • "Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
  • "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
  • The Winner: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham
    My Prediction:
    "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham
    My Vote:
    "Take It All" from Nine, Maury Yeston

    Sound Mixing
  • Avatar
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Star Trek
  • Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
  • The Winner: The Hurt Locker
    My Prediction:
    Avatar
    My Vote:
    The Hurt Locker

    Sound Editing
  • Avatar
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Star Trek
  • Up
  • The Winner: The Hurt Locker
    My Prediction:
    Avatar
    My Vote:
    Up

    Visual Effects
  • Avatar
  • District 9
  • Star Trek
  • The Winner: Avatar
    My Prediction:
    Avatar
    My Vote:
    Avatar

    Animated Feature Film
  • Coraline
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • The Princess and the Frog
  • The Secret of Kells
  • Up
  • The Winner: Up
    My Prediction:
    Up
    My Vote:
    Up

    Foreign Language Film
  • Ajami (Israel)
  • The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
  • A Prophet (France)
  • The Secret in Their Eyes (Argentina)
  • The White Ribbon (Germany)
  • The Winner: The Secret in Their Eyes (Argentina)
    My Prediction:
    The White Ribbon (Germany)
    My Vote:
    The White Ribbon (Germany)

    Documentary Feature
  • Burma VJ
  • The Cove
  • Food, Inc.
  • The Most Dangerous Man in America
  • Which Way Home
  • The Winner: The Cove
    My Prediction:
    Food, Inc.
    My Vote:
    Food, Inc.

    Documentary Short
  • China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
  • The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
  • The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
  • Music by Prudence
  • Rabbit à la Berlin
  • The Winner: Music by Prudence
    My Prediction:
    The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
    My Vote:
    The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

    Animated Short
  • French Roast
  • Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
  • The Lady and the Reaper
  • Logorama
  • Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'
  • The Winner: Logorama
    My Prediction:
    Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'
    My Vote:
    Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'

    Live Action Short
  • The Door
  • Instead of Abracadabra
  • Kavi
  • Miracle Fish
  • The New Tenants
  • The Winner: The New Tenants
    My Prediction:
    The Door
    My Vote:
    The New Tenants

    2010-02-23

    Second edition of Oscars Predictions - Deuxième édition de prédictions aux Oscars

    Nominees My Take & Results
    Best Picture
  • Avatar
  • The Blind Side
  • District 9
  • An Education
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • A Serious Man
  • Up
  • Up in the Air
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Avatar
    My Vote: Inglorious Basterds

    Best Actor
  • Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
  • George Clooney, Up in the Air
  • Colin Firth, A Single Man
  • Morgan Freeman, Invictus
  • Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Jeff Bridges
    My Vote: Jeremy Renner

    Best Actress
  • Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
  • Helen Mirren, The Last Station
  • Carey Mulligan, An Education
  • Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Sandra Bullock
    My Vote: Meryl Streep

    Best Supporting Actor
  • Matt Damon, Invictus
  • Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
  • Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
  • Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
  • Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Christoph Waltz
    My Vote: Christoph Waltz

    Best Supporting Actress
  • Penelope Cruz, Nine
  • Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
  • Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
  • Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Mo'Nique
    My Vote: Penelope Cruz

    Best Director
  • Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
  • James Cameron, Avatar
  • Lee Daniels, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
  • Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Kathryn Bigelow
    My Vote: Kathryn Bigelow tie Quentin Tarantino

    Original Screenplay
  • Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
  • Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
  • Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman, The Messenger
  • Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
  • Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy, Up
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
    My Vote:
    Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

    Adapted Screenplay
  • Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell, District 9
  • Nick Hornby, An Education
  • Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche, In the Loop
  • Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
    My Vote:
    Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell, District 9

    Cinematography
  • Mauro Fiore, Avatar
  • Christian Berger, The White Ribbon
  • Bruno Delbonnel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker
  • Robert Richardson, Inglourious Basterds
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Mauro Fiore, Avatar
    My Vote:
    Christian Berger, The White Ribbon

    Film Editing
  • Avatar
  • District 9
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The Hurt Locker
    My Vote: The Hurt Locker

    Art Direction
  • Avatar
  • The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
  • Nine
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • The Young Victoria
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction: Avatar
    My Vote:
    The Young Victoria

    Costume
  • Bright Star
  • Coco Before Chanel
  • The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
  • Nine
  • The Young Victoria
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Nine
    My Vote:
    The Young Victoria

    Makeup
  • Il Divo
  • Star Trek
  • The Young Victoria
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The Young Victoria
    My Vote:
    The Young Victoria

    Original Score
  • James Horner, Avatar
  • Alexandre Desplat, Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders, The Hurt Locker
  • Hans Zimmer, Sherlock Holmes
  • Michael Giacchino, Up
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders, The Hurt Locker
    My Vote:
    Michael Giacchino, Up

    Original Song
  • "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham
  • "Loin de Paname" from Paris 36, Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas
  • "Take It All" from Nine, Maury Yeston
  • "Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
  • "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham
    My Vote:
    "Take It All" from Nine, Maury Yeston

    Sound Mixing
  • Avatar
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Star Trek
  • Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Avatar
    My Vote:
    The Hurt Locker

    Sound Editing
  • Avatar
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Star Trek
  • Up
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Avatar
    My Vote:
    Up

    Visual Effects
  • Avatar
  • District 9
  • Star Trek
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Avatar
    My Vote:
    Avatar

    Animated Feature Film
  • Coraline
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • The Princess and the Frog
  • The Secret of Kells
  • Up
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Up
    My Vote:
    Up

    Foreign Language Film
  • Ajami (Israel)
  • The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
  • A Prophet (France)
  • The Secret in Their Eyes (Argentina)
  • The White Ribbon (Germany)
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The White Ribbon (Germany)
    My Vote:
    The White Ribbon (Germany)

    Documentary Feature
  • Burma VJ
  • The Cove
  • Food, Inc.
  • The Most Dangerous Man in America
  • Which Way Home
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Food, Inc.
    My Vote:
    Food, Inc.

    Documentary Short
  • China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
  • The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
  • The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
  • Music by Prudence
  • Rabbit à la Berlin
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
    My Vote:
    The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

    Animated Short
  • French Roast
  • Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
  • The Lady and the Reaper
  • Logorama
  • Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'
    My Vote:
    Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'

    Live Action Short
  • The Door
  • Instead of Abracadabra
  • Kavi
  • Miracle Fish
  • The New Tenants
  • The Winner:
    My Prediction:
    The Door
    My Vote:
    The New Tenants

    2010-02-14

    The LAMB Devours the Oscars - Best Documentary Short Subject

    Editor's note: Welcome to the thirteenth of a 33-part series dissecting the 82st Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!










    By Michaël Parent of Le Mot du Cinephiliaque.

    The category that will be discussed here is not the one that take us in the living room making bets and polls on the winner of the praise of the Academy and which one we thought that should deserve the grand prize and/or have been robbed in public (see here an allusion to the great robbery of Avatar at the Globe). This is a category presented generally in the first half of the ceremony and more often than not they are films with little coverage and sometimes only available on YouTube for a wider diffusion. However, they treat of important subjects that regular films and the mass media would not discourse in times of wide audience. This is one of the categories that is directly connected to reality and humanity. This category is the Best documentary short subject.

    The Best documentary short subject category was introduced the same year the Academy started to use the famous confidential envelope system, in 1941. That year, nine films were nominated for the award. As subject matters, from 1941 to 1945 most of the films nominated were about the war effort. In 1942, twenty-five films were nominated and four special awards were given to recognize the war effort on the Allied side in World War II. In these cases, the producers were generally the US Air Force, the US State Marine Corps, the US Navy, the US Department of War, the US Army, etc. Since the early years of the category, a producer well known for his cartoons has often been nominated; Walt Disney, a man preoccupied by entertainment but also by human values. Disney won this award two times as a producer. But the Producer with the most brilliant presence is the National Film Board of Canada with four wins and eleven nominations. The NFB won the first ever documentary award given by the Academy with Churchill's Island in 1941.

    The number of nominations is irregular and some years it goes from three to five nominations. The documentaries nominated present realities that are important and generally not presented in the mass media. They show the struggles of human beings fighting for their lives, their rights, and also their fights against diseases, injustice, etc. These filmmakers are witness of the human condition. With their works they attempt to inform the world and help the causes of their subject of films. Their job is more than filming human beings, they participate in the life and they become likethe front man of these causes.

    The Film business is celebrated each year with the Academy Awards that congratulate the best films of the year on all their aspects (editing, sound mixing, director, actors, etc.). This contributes to spread the audience and the interest of future viewers of these celebrated films. The Academy Awards is a celebration of excellence in filmmaking but we have to remember that the films winning awards and having success in the box office/rentals are made to entertain, to make us think, to make art, to reflect the world, etc. But in big part the films of the main categories are made to make money. In this specific category, the Best documentary short subject, is probably not the one that makes the most money at the box office or in rentals but these films should be celebrated for their quality of being true and by being made by real passionate people.

    For the Ceremony held on March 2010 the Nominees are: (Links on the title of each film is its IMDb.com page)

    - China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province by Jon Alpert & Matthew O'Neill

    "On May 12, 2008, a catastrophic earthquake hit Sichuan Province in rural China, killing nearly 70,000 people, including 10,000 children. In town after town, poorly constructed school buildings crumbled, wiping out classrooms filled with students, most of them their parents' only child. But when grieving mothers and fathers sought explanations and justice, they found their path blocked by incompetence, corruption and empty promises."

    With Haiti strocked by recent earthquakes it makes this documentary on top of the topic. But also, what happened in Haiti was even more disastrous and murderous than what sadly happened in the Sichuan Province and it could have desensibilized from the gravity of the catastrophe. So because of its subject and the recent events, I think this film won't be the winner. It's all about timing.

    - The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner by Daniel Junge & Henry Ansbacher

    "Documentary following assisted suicide ballot initiative in Washington State."

    The controversy of the subject of this documentary may by itself exclude this one from the winning envelope. In this case we often hear from observers that this is already great to be nominated. On the other hand, this is the kind of category that the Academy can be more progressive and vote for controversy. A little controversy can't hurt anyone with new point of views.

    - The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant by Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert

    "The inside story of the last days of a General Motors plant in Moraine, Ohio, as lived by the people who worked the line."

    Go to: My Prediction on the category for more explanations.

    - Krolik po berlinsku by Bartosz Konopka & Anna Wydra

    "The untold story about wild rabbits which lived between the Berlin Walls. For 28 years Death Zone was their safest home. Full of grass, no predators, guards protecting them from human disturbance. They were closed but happy. When their population grew up to thousands, guards started to remove them. But rabbits survived and stayed there. Unfortunately one day the wall fell down. Rabbits had to abandon comfortable system. They moved to West Berlin and have been living there in a few colonies since then. They are still learning how to live in the free world, same as we - the citizens of Eastern Europe." Written by Bartek Konopka & Piotr Rosolowski

    An interesting and funny true story about rabbits, the Berlin Walls, and Eastern Europe!?! It's like National Geographic meets the History Channel! This is, maybe on the surface, the easiest documentary of the category, but its broad subject is still Cold War which was not an easy subject even twenty years after the fall of the Walls. It changed the life of so many people (and so many rabbits) that still feels the repercussions of these physical borders.

    - Music by Prudence by Roger Ross Williams & Elinor Burkett
    "This is the story about the most unlikely voice of hope, singer songwriter Prudence Mabhena. Her country is bankrupt, her body is broken. Neighbors and family consider her cursed. But in music, Prudence and her seven young disabled Zimbabweans may have found a way out." Written by Roger Ross Williams

    The subject of this film is pretty universal; music can help you get out of all the things that obscure your mind. But the subject is Prudence, life is harder on some places on the planet and even with all the misery of it some people are so strong they get over it and hold onto life with music. A lesson to all of us who are more lucky of being born in rich countries with the only matter of buying a better computer and/or choosing which restaurant we are going to eat tonight.

    "" All plotlines of the nominees are from the IMDb.com pages of each film.

    My Prediction on the category

    Since there is no returning champion this year (sometimes it helps to predict a winner) the winning pick is pretty hard to tell. Last year it was Smile Pinki by Megan Mylan that earned the Oscar and in 2007 it was Cynthia Wade's Freeheld. Well, it was dominated by women for the last two years so based on this thin aspect I would say The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant. This argument may seem funny but I deeply think that this is the film that will win the Oscar. I'm not speculating this because it's a female director; Julia Reichert who by the way co-directs with Steven Bognar, but mainly because I think the issues of this film are truly American, GM one of the biggest companies in the U.S.A., employing so much people, being a symbol of the country, made so much money, made so much careers so this feature has reached American people and, I think, the voters of the Academy. If the American car industry goes down, everything in America fell apart with it which would include the American film industry.
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