From The Apprentice to Wicked, the 2025 Oscar nominations are the most political ever

Ramil Ross Nickel Boysadapted from Colson Whitehead’s novel, and winner of Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, doesn’t feel like a standard historical drama, thanks to its bold use of first-person perspective, but its subject is the United States’ racist past — and how that past resonates in the present day. Greg Koidar Singing singingwhich has nods to star Colman Domingo and an adapted screenplay as well, tells the true story of a theater group of incarcerated men. He doesn’t mention racism at all, but almost all of his characters are black and working-class, which says a lot about the reality of American prisons: data published by Pew Research Center 2020 It showed that at the end of 2018, there were 2,272 prisoners for every 100,000 black men, compared to 392 prisoners for every 100,000 white men.

until Sand Dunes: Part 2 – Nominated for five awards, including Best Picture – It is more complex in its themes of religion and leadership than your average sci-fi film. Most years, one or two overtly political films are nominated for Oscars, such as the anti-capitalist satire Triangle of Sadness in 2023 and, in 2024, Martin Scorsese’s dark take on Native American exploitation, Killers of the Flower Moon. In 2025, such films will be the norm rather than the exception.

More like this:
• Why is Emilia Perez causing upset in Mexico?
• Evil author Gregory Maguire talks about its true meaning
• A violent drama that explores the United States’ racist past

The question now is whether these political nominations will translate into political awards ceremonies. Traditionally, Oscars acceptance speeches avoid anything more controversial than calling for more diversity on film sets, as Frances McDormand did when she accepted the Best Actress award for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in 2018. And when Oscar winners allude to American politics But they may receive a mixed reception, as Michael Moore did when he criticized George W. Bush during his acceptance speech for Bowling for Columbine, which won best documentary in 2003. But this year it seems… If only it could be different. The most exciting part of the March ceremony may not be seeing who wins, but hearing what they say when they do.

—

If you liked this story Subscribe to the Essential List newsletter – A handpicked collection of unmissable features, videos and news, delivered to your inbox twice a week.

For more culture stories from the BBC, stay tuned Facebook, X and Instagram.