Oscars 2024: How to watch the Best Picture nominees in the Middle East

From Barbenheimer to Anatomy of a Fall, the 10 films offer a varied experience

Barbie and Oppenheimer, better known as Barbenheimer, took last year's box office by storm. Photos: Warner Bros; AFP; Universal Pictures

The Oscars are almost here. While all the awards hold prestige and importance, none are as sought after as the Best Picture.

From a historical thriller about the making of the atomic bomb to an emotional Christmas comedy, the 10 nominated films offer a diverse selection to enjoy.

For viewers in the Middle East, here’s where to watch them.

American Fiction

Jeffrey Wright as Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison and John Ortiz as Arthur in American Fiction. AP

Where to watch: OSN+

Nominations: Five, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright) and Best Supporting Actor (Sterling K Brown)

Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut, American Fiction, tells the story of an author down on his luck who needs to make money fast. The author, played by Jeffrey Wright, decides to write a satirical novel that is packed with cliches about the black community.

Unbeknown to him, the book becomes a hit and receives publishing offers and a film deal. The author must contend with the perception and meaning of his book, and the consequences of it being read differently than originally intended.

The Holdovers

Dominic Sessa, Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers. AP

Where to watch: Apple TV

Nominations: Five, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Paul Giamatti) and Best Supporting Actress (Da’Vine Joy Randolph)

Alexander Payne’s latest film is a cosy and funny look at the relationship between three mismatched characters stricken by sadness over the Christmas break. The film stars Paul Giamatti as a hated teacher tasked with babysitting students who are not going home for the holiday.

At its core, The Holdovers displays the conversations and growing warmness between Giamatti and his student (portrayed by newcomer Dominic Sessa). Da'Vine Joy Randolph is a heartwarming and caring school lunch lady who balances the two and tries to keep above water while grieving the loss of her only son.

Barbie

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in Barbie. AP

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Nominations: Eight, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ryan Gosling) and Best Supporting Actress (America Ferrera)

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Goslin as Barbie and Ken, tells the story of what it is like to live as the world-famous doll.

The film takes the superficial and safe existence of the doll and thrusts it into the real world, with the lead Barbie (Margot) going on a journey to learn more about her purpose and goals in life.

Barbie earned more than $1 billion at the box office, beating the likes of Oppenheimer and Fast X as the highest-grossing film last year.

Maestro

Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. AP

Where to watch: Netflix

Nominations: Seven, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Bradley Cooper) and Best Actress (Carey Mulligan)

In Maestro, Bradley Cooper directs and stars in the biopic about the life and work of American composer Leonard Bernstein. The film focuses on the relationship between Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, played by Carey Mulligan.

Cooper reportedly spent six years studying how to conduct an orchestra to appear natural and believable on screen.

Oppenheimer

Where to watch: Apple TV+ (OSN+ from April 12)

Nominations: 13, including Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr) and Best Supporting Actress (Emily Blunt)

The film follows Cillian Murphy as J Robert Oppenheimer, the man tasked by the US government to create the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer is based on the 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, and chronicles the physicist's career, with the story focusing on his studies, participation in the Los Alamos Laboratory during the Second World War and eventual fall from grace due to his 1954 security hearing.

Poor Things

Emma Stone in Poor Things. AP

Where to watch: Disney+

Nominations: 11, including Best Picture, Best Director (Yorgos Lanthimos), Best Actress (Emma Stone) and Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo)

Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos teams up once again with Emma Stone for a Frankenstein-esque story about revival and love. The film’s themes and design evoke a fantastical Victorian England steeped in steampunk.

The Zone of Interest

Sandra Huller in The Zone of Interest. AP

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Nominations: Five, including Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Glazer) and Best International Feature Film (the UK)

Jonathan Glazer returns to direct this holocaust film after a 10-year hiatus. In The Zone of Interest, the story follows the family of a Nazi officer who lives next door to a holocaust camp. The cries and screams from the camp are juxtaposed with the family going about their lives as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon. AP

Where to Watch: Apple TV+

Nominations: Ten, including Best Picture, Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Actress (Lily Gladstone) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro)

Killers of the Flower Moon is a historical epic by Martin Scorsese. It tells an important but difficult story about a series of murders suffered by the indigenous Osage Nation in the 1920s after oil was discovered on their land. The film has an impressive cast with Lily Gladstone standing out among notable co-stars Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. The screenplay is based on the 2017 non-fiction book by David Grann.

Past Lives

Where to Watch: OSN+

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay (Celine Song)

Past Lives is a tender romantic drama by Celine Song in her directorial debut. The film follows the story of Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), who were childhood friends in South Korea until Nora and her family emigrated to Canada. More than 20 years later, as adults, they reconnect again, reflecting on their lives and what could have been.

Anatomy of a Fall

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Nominations: Five, including Best Picture, Best Director (Justine Triet) and Best Actress (Sandra Huller)

Anatomy of a Fall follows the struggles and intimacies of a failing relationship that are put on trial when a man falls from the top floor of his house, prompting an investigation that questions his wife’s role in his death. Their half-blind son is put in a moral dilemma as the main witness.