In 1994, Jane Campion made history becoming only the second woman in Academy Awards history to be nominated for Best Director for “The Piano.” In fact, she became the first woman to direct a Best Picture-winning film when that Miramax title took the crown. For comparison’s sake, this past year, Chloe Zhao became just the third for “Nomadland.” Campion may or may not duplicate that particular feat, but she has an excellent shot at taking her first statue in this category (she won Original Screenplay for “The Piano”). Who will be nominated alongside her remains to be seen?
Former winners Guillermo Del Toro (“Nightmare Alley”), Steve Spielberg (“West Side Story”), and Joel Coen (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”), who won this category alongside his brother for “No Country For Old Men,” has a shot with “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” is in the mix. As are Original Screenwriting winner Pedro Almodovar (“Parallel Mothers”), and two-time International Film winner Asghar Farhadi (“A Hero”). Acclaimed filmmakers Paolo Sorrentino (“The Hand of God”), Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”) are also vying to make the cut. And it may be hard to see the current Best Picture frontrunner, “Belfast,” finding its director, Kenneth Branagh, out in the cold.
Two important trends worth noting, however, are that, since 2011, just one American, Damien Chazelle, has won Best Director and that two of the past three years, two non-American or British filmmakers were nominated. So, if you’re a betting person, the latter is one statistic worth banking on. [Updated Jan 3]
BEST DIRECTOR
Likely
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”
Dennis Villeneuve, “Dune”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”
In the Mix
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car”
Pedro Almodovar, “Parallel Mothers”
Guillermo del Toro, “Nightmare Alley”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Lost Daughter”
Sian Heder, “CODA”
Asghar Farhadi, “A Hero”
Ridley Scott, “The Last Duel”
Joel Coen, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Adam McKay, “Don’t Look Up”
2022 Contenders and Predictions
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Original Screenplay
Adapted Screenplay
International Film
