Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019)
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019)
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019)
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019)

'Joker', 'The Irishman' and '1917' lead 2020 Oscar nominations


  • English
  • Arabic

The 92nd Academy Award nominations have been announced. While Joker leads the pack with 11 nods, a number of films from the Mena region are competing for the coveted Oscars. Among them, two acclaimed films from Syria will vie for Best Documentary.

Directed by Feras Fayyad, The Cave tells the story of female doctors working in Ghouta as they battle sexism and limited resources amid air strikes. Multi award-winner For Sama, directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts, was also nominated. The film, which tells the story of Al-Kateab's time as a mother in Aleppo, already won the Prix L'Oeil d'Or for Best Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival last year, and four prizes at the British Independent Film Awards, including Best Picture.

Two short films from the region will compete in the Live Action Short Film category. Brotherhood, by Meryam Joobeur, tells the story of a prodigal son returning to his Tunisian family with his mysterious new bride. Also nominated is another Tunisian story, Yves Piat's Nefta Football Club, the tale of two brothers who encounter a missing donkey while playing football on a makeshift pitch.

In the category for Best Documentary Short, Carol Dysinger's Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) also received a nomination. The film is about young Afghan girls learning to read, write and skateboard in Kabul.

With Todd Philips's comic book tale Joker scoring 11 nominations, making it the film to beat, three other movies come close behind. Tied on 10 nominations each are Martin Scorsese's gangster picture The Irishman, Sam Mendes's First World War drama 1917 and Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. All four titles were nominated for Best Picture, and each will compete in the screenplay categories.

Other films running these close include Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story and Greta Gerwig's Little Women, which both scored six nominations, including Best Picture. Baumbach was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, while Gerwig will compete for Best Adapted Screenplay – her third Oscar nomination, after the two received for 2017's Lady Bird. Both, however, missed out on a Best Director nod.

Also with six nominations is New Zealand director Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit, his anti-hate satire in which he plays Adolf Hitler as a figment of a boy's imagination. Also up for Best Picture, Waititi will compete with Gerwig in the Best Adapted Screenplay category, whilst Scarlett Johansson – also nominated in the Best Actress category for Marriage Story – is up for Best Supporting Actress.

One of the biggest successes was Korean director's Bong Joon-ho's social satire Parasite, which backed up its success at the Golden Globes – where it won in the foreign language category – with six nominations. While it will be a clear favourite to scoop the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, it went much further, with a Best Picture nomination, as well as nods for Film Editing, Original Screenplay, Directing and Production Design.

Yeo-jeong Jo in a scene from 'Parasite'. Neon via AP
Yeo-jeong Jo in a scene from 'Parasite'. Neon via AP

Undoubtedly, there will be criticisms from some quarters, due to the lack of diversity, with actors of colour largely ignored. In the acting categories, only British black actress Cynthia Erivo was nominated – for her role as the slave-turned-freedom fighter Harriet Tubman in the film Harriet. She will compete against Renee Zellweger, whose turn as Judy Garland in Judy has made her the bookmaker's favourite.

In the Best Actor category, Joaquin Phoenix will be the favourite for his performance in Joker, while there were nominations for Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Adam Driver (Marriage Story) and first nods for Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes) and Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory).

In the Supporting Actor categories, Golden Globe winner Laura Dern will be the hot favourite for Marriage Story. There was also a first nod for British actress Florence Pugh for Little Women and a surprise nomination for previous Oscar winner Kathy Bates for Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell. Best Supporting Actor, meanwhile, is a gallery of riches, with five former Oscar winners: The Irishman's Al Pacino and Joe Pesci; Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood), Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood) and Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes).

Among the notable nominations, veteran composer John Williams has been nominated for a record-breaking 52nd time for his work on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. British cinematographer Roger Deakins, who finally broke his Oscar duck two years ago at the 14th time of asking, when he won for Blade Runner 2049, now stands the chance to win again, with a nod for his stirring work on 1917.

The 2020 Academy Award nominees in full: 

Best picture 

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Parasite

Best director 

Martin Scorsese, The Irishman

Todd Phillips, Joker 

Sam Mendes, 1917

Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Bong Joon-ho, Parasite

Best actress 

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Charlize Theron , Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

Best actor 

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Best supporting actress

Kathy Bates , Richard Jewell

Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

Florence Pugh, Little Women

Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Best supporting actor

Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Al Pacino, The Irishman

Joe Pesci,  The Irishman

Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Best international feature film

Corpus Christi (Poland)

Honeyland (North Macedonia)

Les Miserables (France)

Pain and Glory (Spain)

Parasite (South Korea)

Best documentary feature

American Factory

The Cave

The Edge of Democracy

For Sama

Honeyland

Best original score

Joker, Hildur Gudnadottir

Little Women, Alexandre Desplat

Marriage Story, Randy Newman

1917, Thomas Newman

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, John Williams

Best original song

I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away from Toy Story 4. Music and lyrics by Randy Newman

(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from Rocketman. Music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin

I'm Standing With You from Breakthrough. Music and lyrics by Diane Warren

Into the Unknown from Frozen 2. Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Stand Up from Harriet. Music and lyrics by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo

Best costume design

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Best adapted screenplay

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

The Two Popes

Best original screenplay

Knives Out

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Parasite

Best animated feature

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

I Lost My Body

Klaus

Missing Link

Toy Story 4

Best cinematography

The Irishman

Joker

The Lighthouse

1917

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Best editing

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Parasite

Best make-up and hairstyling

Bombshell

Joker

Judy

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

1917

Best production design

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

1917

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Parasite

Best sound editing

Ford v Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best sound mixing

Ad Astra

Ford v Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Best visual effects

Avengers: Endgame

The Irishman

The Lion King

1917

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best animated short

Dcera (Daughter)

Hair Love

Kitbull

Memorable

Sister

Best documentary short

In the Absence

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)

Life Overtakes Me

St Louis Superman

Walk Run Cha-Cha

Best live action short

Brotherhood

Nefta Football Club

The Neighbors' Window

Saria

A Sister

_____________

The 92nd Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 9 in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theatre

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Fight card

Bantamweight

Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)

Lightweight

Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)

Catch 74kg

Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)

Strawweight (Female)

Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)

Featherweight

Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)

Lightweight

Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)

Welterweight

Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)

Bantamweight

Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)

Lightweight

Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)

Lightweight

Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)

Welterweight

Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)

Featherweight title bout

Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised

General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.

"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.

He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.

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Power: 154bhp

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Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

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RESULTS

1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner: Dirilis Ertugrul, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer)
2.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: Kidd Malibu, Sandro Paiva, Musabah Al Muhairi
2.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,000m
Winner: Raakezz, Tadhg O’Shea, Nicholas Bachalard
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
Winner: Au Couer, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
Winner: Rayig, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
Winner: King’s Shadow, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

Anna and the Apocalypse

Director: John McPhail

Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton

Three stars

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The%20specs
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MATCH INFO

Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports

Timeline

1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line

1962
250 GTO is unveiled

1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company

1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens

1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made

1987
F40 launched

1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent

2002
The Enzo model is announced

2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi

2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled

2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives

2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company

2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street

2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')

Fulham 0

Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)

Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)

Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

RESULTS

2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: AF Senad, Nathan Crosse (jockey), Kareem Ramadan (trainer)

2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Ashjaan, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.

3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Amirah, Conner Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yaasoob, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.

4pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri.

4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Manhunter, Ryan Curatolo, Mujeeb Rahman.

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association

 

Company: Instabug

Founded: 2013

Based: Egypt, Cairo

Sector: IT

Employees: 100

Stage: Series A

Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors

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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape

If you go

The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road. 

The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.