THE bad news is that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is still as closed-minded as in previous years, as evidenced by the fact that they have refused to acknowledge in their nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards (the Oscars), outstanding work that was put forward by people of colour, women, foreign language actors and filmmakers, and persons from (as well as those who make content related to) the LGBTQIA+ community. There was a staggering array of work on display in 2019. In fact, the quality of work has ensured that this year’s Academy’s Awards will be one of the most contested and competitive seasons in the Academy’s history. It would have been even more interesting and competitive had the Academy chosen to highlight the work of the previously mentioned marginalised groups that it has always rejected in favour of straight, white men, and movies for that target demographic.

It is indeed deplorable, sad, and regressive to think about Lupita Nyong’o (a black, Mexican-Kenyan actress) not receiving a Best Actress nomination this year for her performance in the horror film, “Us”, or Greta Gerwig (one of the best modern directors) not being nominated for directing the newest adaptation of “Little Women.” It would have been just another year if these kinds of snubs were the exception, but for the Academy, this kind of behaviour has, throughout its almost 100-year old history, become the norm. Let us observe one category, for example, the Best Actress category. It is 2020 and in the history of the Oscars, there has been only one Black Best Actress winner (Halle Berry), no Latin American Best Actress winners, no Asian Best Actress winners ( and shockingly, only a single woman of Asian descent was ever nominated in this category, in 1935!). Considering the diversity of America and the fact that the Oscar is almost 100 years old, these stats are downright ridiculous and depressing, especially when one can think of several women who were sidelined in previous years.

Despite all of the snubs, there is still some good news, however. The good news is that truly iconic films and performances do not need an Oscar to give them worth or value. In fact, there are some notable cases of the Academy making very awkward and interesting decisions throughout the years. It is clear that the Academy sometimes makes decisions that contrast with the views of critics and the movie-going audience, and sometimes the fallout from these decisions takes years to get over, or in some cases, in the most famous examples, the fallout is prolonged indefinitely. The point is that the great films/performances don’t need the Oscars to survive and become staples of film schools and academia and that the Academy itself cannot always be counted upon to reward the very best (think about the thousands of movies made outside of Hollywood each year that are ignored due to the fact that America’s film-making environment chooses to reward itself, while giving merely five slots to the many outstanding international films that get made every year).

The proof that a film or a performance can become legendary without an Oscar can be observed through several examples. Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane,” sometimes regarded as the greatest film ever made, did not win the Academy’s Best Picture prize. Other iconic films to not win Best Picture that have since gone on to achieve iconic status anyway, include: “The Colour Purple,” “Saving Private Ryan,” and “Do the Right Thing.” Alfred Hitchcock, the master of horror and suspense who influenced generations of filmmakers, never won a Best Director Oscar, probably on account of the bias against horror films that exist within the Academy. Angela Bassett did not win for “What’s Love Got to Do with It”; Cicely Tyson did not win for “Sounder.” Glenn Close, revered for her performances in such films as “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Albert Nobbs” and “Fatal Attraction,” has been snubbed six times.

I think that several of the worthy films and performances that were snubbed this year will continue to be analysed and appreciated for years to come. “The Farewell,” with its sweet and sorrowful performances by Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen, will always remind viewers of how far we are willing to go for family. “Booksmart” will be heralded as one of the great comedies of our age and an amazing female-buddy/high school/feminist film as well.

“Dolemite is My Name” is a film about a piece of film history, with Eddie Murphy turning in his finest performance yet. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is a tender film, unspooling the raw and doomed love between two women in 18th Century France, and “Midsommar” is a beautiful and creepy tale with a towering Florence Pugh as a woman scorned. These are some of the best films of the year, and it is possible that many years from now, the Academy will look back at this time with much regret that some of the most outstanding movies and performances of our time did not gain a single nomination at the Oscars.