Oscars 2022: Dune dominates nominations and Riz Ahmed short gets nod
This year's Oscar nominations are out and it is a film with heavy Middle Eastern themes that is set to dominate the upcoming ceremony.
Dune, a science fiction film influenced by an amalgam of Sufi ideas and Middle Eastern aesthetics, got 10 nominations for the 94th Academy Awards (Oscars), which were announced on Tuesday.
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The American film, based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert of the same name, was nominated across a wide range of categories including best picture, adapted screenplay, costume design and original score.
It had been the subject of controversy because it did not cast any actors from the Middle East, despite being heavily influenced by Arab and Islamic themes.
However, in a review for Middle East Eye, critic Joseph Fahim argued that the objections over the cast were “unfounded”.
Fahim said that the film avoided cliches about the region and provided “enough food for thought here to render its implied position towards the Middle East as refreshingly singular”.
The Power of the Dog, a psychological western starring Benedict Cumberbatch, received the most nominations with 12 nods, followed by Dune.
Riz Ahmed earns short nomination
Elsewhere, British actor and filmmaker Riz Ahmed, who last year became the first Muslim actor to pick up a best actor nomination, received a nod for his short live-action film.
The Long Goodbye, created by and starring Ahmed and directed by Aneil Karia, imagines a dystopian future in which immigrants in the UK are targeted by far-right militias. Ahmed, who is also a rapper, released an album of the same name exploring xenophobia and national identity.
Great morning for Riz Ahmed - got his 2nd nomination for Live Action Short + FLEE, which he exec produced, hitting Doc/International/Animated pic.twitter.com/FJ3KmttUSV
— Ryan Aguirre (@aguirreryan) February 8, 2022
Afghan refugees were the subject of two other movies that received nominations.
Flee, an animated documentary about a man fleeing Afghanistan for Denmark, was recognised for both animated feature film and international feature, as well as best documentary feature.
While not on the list of nominees for Flee, Ahmed served as executive producer for the project.
Meanwhile, Three Songs for Benazir, which focuses on a man living in a displacement camp in Kabul, earned a nod for documentary short.
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