In this strangest of Oscar years, we had almost forgotten that David Fincher’s Mank – the biopic of Citizen Kane writer Herman J Mankiewicz – was the nominations leader with 10. Did it emerge at the head of the pack at the end of the night?
Mank was up against the likes of Nomadland, directed by Chloé Zhao and already a big winner with the Venice Golden Lion under its belt, and Judas and the Black Messiah, about the murder of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya).
Riz Ahmed had emerged as a late breaking contender for best actor as a drummer with hearing loss in Sound of Metal, up against veteran Anthony Hopkins in dementia drama The Father, and the late Chadwick Boseman as a trumpeter in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
The best actress race was even tougher to call, with Carey Mulligan in rape-revenge satire Promising Young Woman going head to head with Viola Davis as blues legend Ma Rainey and two-time best actress winner Frances McDormand for Nomadland.
Best original screenplay
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
Promising Young Woman – WINNER
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best adapted screenplay
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father – WINNER
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
The White Tiger
Best international feature film
Another Round – WINNER
Better Days
Collective
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Best actor in a supporting role
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER
Leslie Odom, Jr, One Night in Miami
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best makeup and hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER
Mank
Pinocchio
Best costume design
Emma
Mank
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – WINNER
Mulan
Pinocchio
Jean Hersholt humanitarian award
MPTF (Motion Picture & Television Fund)
Best director
Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
David Fincher, Mank
Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland – WINNER
Best sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Sound of Metal – WINNER
Soul
Best live-action short film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers – WINNER
White Eye
Best animated short film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You – WINNER
Opera
Yes-People
Best animated feature film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul – WINNER
Wolfwalkers
Best documentary short
Colette – WINNER
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha
Best documentary
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher – WINNER
Time
Best visual effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet – WINNER
Best actress in a supporting role
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman, The Father
Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Youn Yuh-Jung, Minari – WINNER
Best production design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank – WINNER
News of the World
Tenet
Best cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank – WINNER
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best film editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal – WINNER
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Jean Hersholt humanitarian award
Tyler Perry
Best original score
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul – WINNER
Best original song
Husavik, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Fight For You, Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER
Io Sì (Seen), The Life Ahead
Speak Now, One Night in Miami
Hear My Voice, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland – WINNER
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best actress in a leading role
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day, The United States vs Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand, Nomadland – WINNER
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Best actor in a leading role
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The Father – WINNER
Gary Oldman, Mank
Steven Yeun, Minari