Gautam Anand
The most boring Oscar season ever is finally coming to an end. Yes, if there was ever a year when I wanted the Oscar season to be over and done with, it is this year. I can’t wait to start afresh and look forward to a new set of exciting films.
I have closely followed the Oscars for over a decade now. Those who follow this website already know that predicting Oscars is what I am excited about the most every year. But the 2020-21 Oscar season, for a variety of reasons, never had me excited. Right from the onset, we had a frontrunner in the form of Nomadland when it first premiered in September 2020. In the months that followed, no movie generated enough attention to challenge the strong frontrunner status of Chloe Zhao-directed film. Don’t get me wrong. Nomadland remains one of my favorite films of 2020. But the lack of a solid challenger meant that we didn’t have any competition. And no competition means no fun.
To be fair, lack of competition wasn’t the topmost reason why the 2020-21 Oscar season was so boring. That credit goes to the Covid-19! The pandemic shut everything up, which meant no awards ceremonies and no drama. More importantly, several high-profile movies postponed their release dates, leaving the Oscar 2020-21 slate pretty thin — and for the most part, unexciting. Many Oscar watchers are pinning their hopes on a Moonlight-vs-La La Land kind of upset, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Nomadland, due to its zeitgeist theme, is all but guaranteed to win the Best Picture prize.
Outside of the Best Picture race, most of the other categories are also pretty much sewn up. In my opinion, there are only three categories where the final winner is still very much up in the air: Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. With that said, here’s the full list of my final Oscar 2021 winner predictions.
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Will Win: Nomadland
Could Win: Minari
Should Win: Nomadland
Best Director
Thomas Vinterburg, Another Round
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
David Fincher, Mank
Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Will Win: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Could Win: Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Should Win: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Gary Oldman, Mank
Steven Yeun, Minari
Will Win: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Could Win: Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Should Win: Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Will Win: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Could Win: Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Should Win: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman, The Father
Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
Will Win: Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
Could Win: Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Should Win: Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah
Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Could Win: Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
Should Win: Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
Best Adapted Screenplay
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
The White Tiger
Will Win: The Father
Could Win: Nomadland
Should Win: Nomadland
Best Original Screenplay
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Will Win: Promising Young Woman
Could Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should Win: Minari
Best Costume Design
Emma
Mank
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mulan
Pinocchio
Will Win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Could Win: Emma
Should Win: Mank
Best Original Score
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul
Will Win: Soul
Could Win: Minari
Should Win: Minari
Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Sound of Metal
Soul
Will Win: Sound of Metal
Could Win: Soul
Should Win: Sound of Metal
Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
News of the World
Tenet
Will Win: Mank
Could Win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Should Win: Tenet
Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Will Win: Sound of Metal
Could Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should Win: Sound of Metal
Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Will Win: Nomadland
Could Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should Win: Nomadland
Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet
Will Win: Tenet
Could Win: The Midnight Sky
Should Win: Tenet
Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
Will Win: Soul
Could Win: Wolfwalkers
Should Win: Soul
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Pinocchio
Will Win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Could Win: Mank
Should Win: Hillbilly Elegy
Best Original Song
“Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah
“lo Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)
“Speak Now” from One Night in Miami
“Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7
Will Win: “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami
Could Win: “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Should Win: “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time
Will Win: My Octopus Teacher
Could Win: Time
Should Win: The Mole Agent
Best International Feature Film
Denmark, Another Round
Hong Kong, Better Days
Romania, Collective
Tunisia, The Man Who Sold His Skin
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Quo Vadis, Aida?
Will Win: Denmark, Another Round
Could Win: Romania, Collective
Should Win: Denmark, Another Round
Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Opera
Yes-People
Will Win: If Anything Happens I Love You
Could Win: Burrow
Should Win: If Anything Happens I Love You
Best Live-Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye
Will Win: Two Distant Strangers
Could Win: The Letter Room
Should Win: Two Distant Strangers
Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Will Win: A Love Song for Latasha
Could Win: A Concerto Is a Conversation
Should Win: Colette
Read More: Most Deserving Oscar Winners
