From 'Dune' to 'Don't Look Up': how to watch Oscars 2022 Best Picture nominees in the UAE

Catch some of this year's contenders on streaming services and in cinemas ahead of the Academy Awards, which will take place on March 27

'Dune', left, and 'The Power of the Dog' are both nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. AP

This year’s Oscar nominees have been announced, with 10 films battling it out for the coveted Best Picture title.

Nominees for 2022 feature a good mix of streaming and cinema release titles, with a few surprise contenders making their way on to the list.

If you want to get up to speed with the nominees ahead of the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, which are due to take place on March 27, here is how you can watch (almost) all of the contenders in the UAE:

‘The Power of the Dog’

Oscar nominations: 12

Jane Campion’s Western, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, is the most-nominated film at this year’s Oscars. The drama is centred around two brothers who manage a ranch, and has made Campion the first and only female director to be nominated in the coveted Best Director category twice.

Where to watch: Netflix

‘Dune’

Oscar nominations: 10

Denis Villeneuve's Dune is nominated in 10 categories, including for Best Picture. The sci-fi epic, which was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi, stars Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Issac and Zendaya. It is adapted from the book series of the same name by Frank Herbert and centres around a dangerous planet known for its exclusive supply of Spice, the most essential and valuable commodity in the universe.

Where to watch: rent or buy from the OSN Store

‘Belfast’

Oscar nominations: seven

Kenneth Branagh's black-and-white homage to the home town he fled as a child, capturing the late-1960s outbreak of Northern Ireland's violent "Troubles" from the perspective of Buddy, aged 9. The film, which combines humour with heartbreak, stars Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Caitriona Balfe and Ciaran Hinds.

Where to watch: in cinemas across the UAE from February 24

‘King Richard’

Oscar nominations: six

Reinaldo Marcus Green’s biopic tells the story of Richard Williams, father of tennis superstar sisters Venus and Serena Williams. In it, Will Smith delivers one of his most celebrated performances yet. He portrays a man with a dream, a father who decides to raise his two youngest daughters to be tennis superstars. So sure is Richard of this that he wrote a 78-page plan about how it would happen before the girls were born.

Where to watch: rent or buy on OSN Store

‘Don't Look Up’

Oscar nominations: four

Adam McKay’s end-of-the-world satire may have divided critics, but its four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, may be enough to silence haters. The film plays on the topic of politicians dismissing the impending climate crisis, helped along by a cast that reads like the who’s who of Hollywood, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill and Chalamet.

Where to watch: Netflix

‘Nightmare Alley’

Oscar nominations: four

Following his 2018 Academy Award triumph with The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro's latest picture is hoping to follow in its footsteps. Centred around a group of outcasts coming together to form a bizarre family, this psychological thriller/horror undoubtedly has the best cast of del Toro’s career. Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen and David Strathairn star in the stylish yet creepy flick.

Where to watch: in cinemas across the UAE

‘CODA’

Oscar nominations: three

CODA made history for Apple TV+, landing the streaming platform its first Oscar nomination. The coming-of-age comedy-drama, written and directed by Sian Heder, stars Emilia Jones as the eponymous Coda (child of deaf adults), the only hearing member of a deaf family. The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where Apple acquired the worldwide distribution rights for a festival-record of $25 million.

Where to watch: Apple TV+