The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially shortlisted nine categories for this year’s Oscars. The Academy released the lists of potential Oscar nominees late Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 9).
The categories shortlisted this year were Best Documentary Feature, Best International Feature, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Song, Best Original Score and the three awards for short films (Documentary, Live-Action and Animated).
This is only the third time in Oscars history that the Academy is announcing all the shortlists simultaneously. It is also only the third time Best Original Song and Best Original Score are included as shortlisted categories.
Seventeen Latin American countries submitted a film to compete in the Best International Feature this year. Three made the short list: Mexico (I’m No Longer Here directed by Fernando Frias), Guatemala (La Llorona directed by Jayro Bustamante) and Chile (The Mole Agent directed by Maite Alberdi).
In the Best Documentary Feature category, Afro-Latina co-director Lisa Cortes’ film All In: The Fight for Democracy was shortlisted. Chile’s The Mole Agent, along with its mention in the international feature category, was shortlisted in the documentary feature category, too. Also listed is Boys State, which features then-high school student Steven Garza as a main subject.
In the Best Documentary Short category, the film Call Center Blues was shortlisted. It’s the story of a community of U.S. deportees trying to rebuild their lives in Tijuana, Mexico.
In the Best Live-Action Short category, actor Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina) stars in The Letter Room as a corrections officer who becomes entangled in the private life of a prisoner.
In the Best Animated Short category, another Latino character is featured in the film Out. His name is Manuel (voiced by Caleb Cabrera), the boyfriend of a man who is trying to figure out the best way to come out to his parents.
Final nominations for all Academy Awards categories will be announced March 15. The 93rd annual Academy Awards take place Sunday, April 25.