By Dapo Oshiyemi
27th January, 2017
Viola Davis, Naomie Harris & Octavia Spencer compete for best Actress in a supporting role.
The nominations for the 89th annual Academy Awards have been revealed, and one has to praise the Oscars this year. A total of 12 black nominations in top categories, three nominations for best Picture, three for best supporting Actress, one for best Director, one for lead Actress, one for lead Actor, one for supporting Actor and two for adapted Screenplay not bad at all considering where we were last year.
No doubt this is good news but it is very important to say, whilst we must keep the pressure on the Oscars to do their bit for diversity, Black filmmakers must continue to make great black films depicting our history, culture, lifestyle, and this must not be left to our African-American brothers and sisters alone, so the onus is firmly on Countries with large black populations like the UK and France but most of all AFRICA!! to step up to the plate.
The Oscar ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 26. For the full list of nominations relating to the global Black community see below.
BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
- Fences
- Hidden Figures
- Moonlight
BEST DIRECTOR
- Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
- Ruth Negga (Loving)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
- Denzel Washington (Fences)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
- Viola Davis (Fences)
- Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
- Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
- Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- Fences Screenplay by August Wilson
- Moonlight Screenplay by Barry Jenkins; Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney
