The Oscars 2022 nominations sparked numerous controversies, with fans and critics complaining how various films didn’t get the recognition they deserved. The list of directors that were snubbed is pretty long this time.
By the looks of it, most of the well-known names have been ignored despite their impeccable work on the screens. Without further ado, let’s have a quick look at all of them.
Oscars 2022 snubbed renowned directors such as Denis Villeneuve, Guillermo Del Torro, Wes Anderson, and others who brought some of their best work on screens this year.
Here’s my list of the top 8 biggest movie directors who were snubbed at the Academy Awards 2022:
1Denis Villeneuve – Dune
Dune was nominated in various categories, including Best Picture and Cinematography, but the man behind it all, Denis Villeneuve, was snubbed from the Directing category.
The fact that directors and production companies in the past have been unable to adapt this incredible story says a lot about how difficult it would’ve been.
I can only infer that Denis Villeneuve would’ve had to work twice as hard and put more thought into bringing all the pieces together.
He not only was successful in getting the story to the silver screens but delivered one of the best sci-fi films we’ve seen in recent times. So to see him being snubbed from the list is very disheartening.
2Guillermo Del Torro – Nightmare Alley
Nightmare Alley received a few nominations, although the number was much lesser than Dune. The Oscars did not recognize the director despite giving a compelling film whose screenplay, aesthetics, and cinematography were top-notch.
The way he blended genres such as neo-noir and psychological thrillers so seamlessly says a lot about how good of a storyteller the man is.
The director has previously worked on The Shape of Water, which won the Oscar for Best Picture, and Guillermo Del Torro did win in the Directing category.
This time, although the movie has been nominated for Best Picture, the director hasn’t gotten a nomination.
3Rebecca Hall – Passing
Rebecca Hall debuted this year as a director and screenwriter with Passing. The movie depicts the events in the life of a black woman in the 1920s who can pass off as a white person.
The depiction of the culture back then and the various racial issues is authentic. The movie was shot in black and white to symbolize several themes, and it just couldn’t get any better.
However, she wasn’t on the list this year, not just for the Directing category but numerous other categories as well. The film got little to no recognition despite its incredible screenplay and even performances by actors such as Ruth Negga.
4Wes Anderson – The French Dispatch
The master of cinematography came back with The French Dispatch this year, but sadly the Oscars didn’t recognize this brilliant piece of art.
Wes Anderson, along with cinematographer Robert Yeoman, as usual, brings the stylish aesthetics with pastel color palettes to the big screen, and honestly, it is a treat to watch every single frame.
While the narrative style was slightly different from Anderson’s previous work, The Grand Budapest Hotel, it was still as intriguing as it could get. Like Passing, even The French Dispatch didn’t get much recognition in numerous categories.
5Frances McDormand – The Tragedy of Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a truly underrated film amongst the critics and even the audience. Frances McDormand takes a very distinct route by shooting the film in black and white.
As she mentioned in an interview, the idea was to depict a known story in a new way to the audiences to make it feel fresh. Boy, was she right!
Usually, historical dramas have a very yellow tinted with brown and red accents, but this didn’t have any.
Our entire focus was on the actors and the way the light had been used in every scene to draw our attention to the surroundings and use them to create specific emotions.
Sadly though, the movie wasn’t given the recognition it deserved. The Oscars nominated it for very few categories and decided to go with films such as Don’t Look Up instead.
6Asghar Farhadi – A Hero
Asghar Farhadi has established his signature style with films like A Separation in the past, which has won an Oscar. This time though, he hasn’t gotten much recognition, and it has left me wondering why.
When I look at the various categories, including Directing, I find Asghar Farhadi and his work to be much more superior than many other names on the list.
For instance, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story was a good retelling of a classic with a modern twist that made it relevant. However, the musical wasn’t quite gripping or innovative and seemed to be banking upon relevance more than anything else.
When I look at A Hero, it’s a much more compelling film that you are invested in right from the first scene. So, not seeing it on numerous lists left me a little astounded.
7Aaron Sorkin – Being the Ricardos
Speaking of masters, you cannot ignore Aaron Sorkin and his writing. It’s a crime, and I don’t say this as a fan. He wrote and directed Being the Ricardos and, like Wes Anderson, has his style with rhythmic dialogues and quick edits.
Aaron Sorkin might not have been the best director in this lot, but he produced an excellent screenplay that wasn’t given its credit.
When you look at Sorkin’s scripts, you’ll know they are his work without even reading the name on them. Being the Ricardos is no exception to this rule.
The script would absorb you into the world it’s depicting, and there’s no escaping it. It sure should have gotten way more recognition than it did.
8Ridley Scott – The Last Duel
This year, Ridley Scott directed two films – The Last Duel and House of Gucci. While the latter wasn’t his best work, The Last Duel struck a chord with me.
The period drama had some impressive performances, complimented with quality production design.
By looking at both his films, one thing is for sure. Ridley Scott sure does know how to create a certain environment and can build worlds that seem so real. It is such a shame that the man didn’t get nominated for the Directing category.
Conclusion
This is the complete list, and while there might be more names that people might want to see, I think these were undeniably the best ones amongst others who got snubbed.
What remains to be seen is which director bags the Oscar. My money is on Jane Campion for The Power of the Dog, but there’s only one way to find out.
About Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in the film industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious and significant awards in the entertainment industry worldwide. Given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the awards are an international recognition of excellence in cinematic achievements, as assessed by the Academy’s voting membership.
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