Oscars 2021: Who Decides What Counts As Controversy?
The 93rd annual Academy Awards take place tonight. While this year’s ceremony will be different from previous ones due to the pandemic, controversies remain.
What To Watch For At The Oscars
Tonight’s ceremony closes out the longest and most unconventional awards season in Hollywood history. Several presenters and nominees will appear in person, and there’s even a red carpet of sorts.
At This Year’s Oscars, Diversity And Social Consciousness Go Hand-In-Hand
After years of #OscarsSoWhite and #OscarsSoMale, industry observers are crowing over the 2021 nominations. This expanded diversity comes along with increased social consciousness in the year’s films.
If Big Box Office Means Big Ratings, This Year’s Oscars Are In Big Trouble
Most awards seasons find film fans seeking out Best Picture nominees in the runup to the telecast, with the eventual winner reaping millions of additional dollars. But this year’s bounce is a thud.
With Children Near Death, ‘Hunger Ward’ Is A Hard Film To Watch
NPR’s Scott Simon speaks to director Skye Fitzgerald about his Oscar-nominated documentary Hunger Ward, and the children who are starving to death during the civil war in Yemen.
‘The Six’ Looks At How 6 Chinese Men’s Lives Unfolded After They Survived The Titanic
Six Chinese men survived the sinking of the Titanic. Their stories were lost to history until the documentary The Six showed how their lives were shaped by America’s restrictive immigration policies.
‘Soul’ Creators On Passion, Purpose And Realizing You’re ‘Enough’
Pete Docter and Kemp Powers’ Oscar-nominated film challenges popular notions of success and failure by imagining a place where souls are matched with passions. Originally broadcast March 23, 2021.
A Gay White Teen Struggles To Exist In Apartheid South Africa In ‘Moffie’
The brutal and mesmerizing new film takes place in South Africa in 1981, where 16-year-old Nicholas is coming to grips with his homosexuality in an environment that couldn’t be more hostile to it.
Looking For A Way To Mark Earth Day? Try These Movies, Songs, Books And More
When you come back inside after celebrating Earth with a walk or by planting some trees, check out these ways NPR’s Arts & Culture team has connected with our Mother Earth via the arts.
Q&A: Documentary Unravels Twisted Knots Of QAnon Movement
Cullen Hoback followed the growth of QAnon for three years. He speaks with NPR about the dangerous conspiracy theory and his six-part series on HBO.
The 2021 Oscars’ Best Original Song Nominees, Cruelly Ranked
This year’s choices include Diane Warren’s 12th Oscar nomination, a show-stopper from Eurovision Song Contest and three entries in a subgenre we call “Glorycore.”
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