FOR ONCE there were a few surprises when the Oscar nominations were announced in Los Angeles yesterday.
Martin Scorsese's Hugo, a 3D family film, snuck past The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius's much fancied silent movie, to secure the most number of nominations. The Scorsese film gathered 11 nods to The Artist's 10. Irishman Michael Fassbender, considered a shoo-in for his performance as a sex addict in Shame, failed to secure a nomination for best actor. But there was good news for the domestic industry in the short film section. Astonishingly, two of the five pictures nominated for best live-action short film emerged from this island. Terry George's The Shore, financed by Northern Ireland Screen, stars Ciarán Hinds as an émigré returning to the North with his grown-up daughter.
The actor Peter McDonald receives a nod for his debut short Pentecost, the tale of a young boy torn between his duties as an altar boy and his passion for football. Starring Andrew Bennett and Michael McElhatton, Pentecost was financed by the Irish Film Board.
The pictures are the latest in a long line of Irish productions to receive nominations in the Academy’s short film sections.
Kenneth Branagh, a native of Belfast, is mentioned in the best supporting actor race for his portrayal of Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn. Glenn Close and Janet McTeer, shortlisted for respectively best actress and best supporting actress, fly the flag for the Irish co-production Albert Nobbs; both actors play cross-dressers in 19th-century Dublin.
This year, in an apparent attempt to confuse Oscar pundits, the Academy once again changed its rules for the best picture race. No fewer than five and no more than 10 features were to receive nods. In the event, the Academy selected nine films. As expected, The Artist, still the front-runner for the big prize, was joined by Hugo; The Descendants– Alexander Payne's latest mid-life crisis comedy; The Help, a drama of the American civil rights era, and Woody Allen's hit comedy Midnight in Paris.
Also nominated were Steven Spielberg's War Horse, Bennett Miller's Moneyballand – a film that divided audiences – Terrence Malick's weird, philosophically dense T he Tree of Life. Having received very mixed reviews on its American release, Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loudand Incredibly Close, a story of 9/11, astonished many by taking the ninth place.
The pre-race favourites for the acting prizes were all in place. George Clooney, nominated for The Descendants,and Jean Dujardin, elegant in The Artist, are expected to duke it out for the best actor prize.
The best actress competition looks like a three-way fight between Meryl Streep, haughty as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady;Viola Davis, touching as a maid in The Help, and Michelle Williams, who impersonates Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn.
The biggest turn-up in either of those two main races was the nomination for Demián Bichir, a Mexican actor, in the melodrama A Better Life. Virtually every Oscar pundit had Michael Fassbender, recent winner of best actor at the Venice Film Festival, pencilled in as a contender.
Among the films that figured more prominently than expected was Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Tomas Alfredson's John le Carré adaption has been virtually ignored in awards season so far. Gary Oldman, never before nominated, picks up a best actor mention for his performance as spymaster George Smiley. Peter Straughan and Bridget O'Connor (who sadly died in 2010) are also acknowledged in the best adapted screenplay competition.
Having picked up a Golden Globe and a recent Producers Guild Award, The Artistwould seem to have the wind behind it. But, in both 2010 and 2011, the favourites at nomination time – Avatarand The Social Networkrespectively – were eventually pipped to best picture. Scorsese's Hugo, ahead in nominations, now looks like a real contender.
The Academy Awards will be presented at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on February 26th.
Oscars: Main nominations
BEST PICTURE
War Horse
The Tree of Life
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius The Artist
Alexander Payne The Descendants
Martin Scorsese Hugo
Woody Allen Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick The Tree of Life
BEST ACTOR
Jean Dujardin The Artist
Demian Bichir A Better Life
Brad Pitt Moneyball
George Clooney The Descendants
Gary Oldman Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
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
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill Moneyball
Nick Nolte Warrior
Christopher Plummer Beginners
Max von Sydow Extremely Loud Incredibly Close
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo The Artist
Jessica Chastain The Help
Melissa McCarthy Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer The Help
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Bullhead Belgium
Footnote Israel
In Darkness Poland
Monsieur Lazhar Canada
A Separation Iran
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig
Margin Call JC Chandor
Midnight in Paris Woody Allen
A Separation Asghar Farhadi
BEST ANIMATION
A Cat in Paris
Chico and Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Full list of nominations on irishtimes.com