Proud to Support: Celebrating Client Nominations at the 94th Academy Awards

Award season is a time to acknowledge the hard work and talent that goes into creating some of our favorite films and television series from the past year. The numerous individuals involved in each project, from the actors to the production crew, all play an important role in developing even just one minute of what we see on screen.

After three years of modified programming, due to COVID-19, Hollywood's biggest night, the Oscars, will return to its traditional format and be held live at the Dolby Theatre, the home to the ceremony since 2002. The 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 27th, 2022 at 5:00 PM PDT/8:00 PM EDT.

The Oscars over the years

The most prestigious of film awards, The Academy Awards, or ‘Oscars’ as they are commonly known, have come a long way since their initial debut. The very first award ceremony was held on May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, honoring the best films of 1927 and 1928. 15 awards were given that night; today, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes 24 major award categories, ranging from Best Director, to Best Costume Design and Sound Mixing.

In 1953 the Academy began broadcasting the Oscars as a televised event, reaching a wider audience and cementing it as a part of film culture for decades to come. And the increasing popularity of the formal ceremony has meant a transformation — from a small event for creators and patrons into the large-scale broadcast we know today. From the red carpet, to the actors, directors, and other respected members of the film industry who introduce the various categories, it has become a highly anticipated global event.

More than a night of glitz and glamor, the Oscars can also be transformative for the creators, particularly women. In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow made history by becoming the first woman to ever win the Oscar for Best Director with her film 'The Hurt Locker'. It wasn’t until just last year, in 2021, that another woman, Chloe Zhao, won the Oscar for Best Director with her inspirational film 'Nomadland', which also took home the Oscar for Best Picture. This year, Jane Campion makes history as the first woman to ever be nominated twice for Best Director, first for 'The Piano' (1994), and again this year for 'The Power of the Dog'.

Recognizing our client nominees 

Entertainment Partners is proud to be a partner to the film industry and support our many clients and their outstanding work. Here’s a look at those who have been nominated for this years’ 94th annual Academy Awards: 

King Richard (Warner Bros)

'King Richard' tells the story of two world-renowned tennis players, Serena and Venus Williams, and how their father, Richard Williams, will stop at nothing to help his daughters reach their full potential.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song
• EP Technology: SyncOnSet, SmartHub

Belfast (Focus Features)

A semi-autobiographical film, 'Belfast' centers on the life of a family, specifically the youngest son, living in the Northern Ireland capital during the late 1960s.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress and Actor, Best Sound, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song
• EP Technology: SmartHub

Nightmare Alley (Searchlight Pictures)

In 'Nightmare Alley,' a man with a talent for manipulating people finds himself partnering with a clairvoyant and her husband in a traveling carnival, eventually entering into a self-crafted scheme to get rich.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design
• ⁠EP Technology: SyncOnSet

West Side Story (20th Century Studios)

'West Side Story' follows the connection between two young high school students who meet at a school dance in 1957 New York and fall in love, amidst the tensions between two rival gangs fighting for control of the streets. As their love for one another grows stronger, so does the tension surrounding the relationship, brought on by their disapproving families.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design
• ⁠EP Technology: SyncOnSet

Licorice Pizza (MGM)

'Licorice Pizza' takes place in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s, and chronicles the lives of two individuals, of very different ages, and the complexities of navigating friendship and love as they grow together.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay
• ⁠EP Technology and Services: Production Finance Studio, Production Management Studio, SmartHub 

CODA (Apple TV+)

'CODA' touches on the lives of a deaf family and their young daughter Ruby, who is the only hearing member of the family. As a 17-year-old, Ruby helps run her family business, while also still in school, where she discovers her passion for music and singing through her school choir class.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay
• EP Technology: SyncOnSet

No Time to Die (MGM)

'No Time To Die' is the 26th installment in the James Bond franchise, and true to form, is an action-packed thriller. James Bond is enjoying his retirement from service, when an old CIA friend shows up asking for help on a new mission that turns out to be more dangerous than expected.

• Nominations: Best Sound, Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects 
• EP Technology: SmartHub

Power of the Dog (Netflix)

'The Power of the Dog' takes place on a family ranch, where an intimidating and arrogant rancher struggles with the reality that his brother has brought home a new wife and her teen-son that he does not approve of. Tensions rise between the rancher and his brother because neither of them are willing to compromise for the other, which leads to further conflict and unsuspected secrets to come about.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Actor, Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design
• ⁠EP Technology: Production Finance Studio, Production Management Studio

Don't Look Up (Netflix)

A comedy satire, 'Don’t Look Up' centers around two astronomers, a teacher and his student, who discover a deadly comet approaching Earth and go to extreme lengths to warn the government and the media, and to save all of mankind.

• Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Score
• ⁠EP Technology: SmartAccounting, SyncOnSet

Cruella (Disney)

'Cruella' is the origin story of iconic villain Cruella De Ville. A young scammer, Estella, looks to make a name for herself in the fashion world; and along the way meets thieves who share her enjoyment of mischief, and together they create her alter-ego, Cruella.

• Nominations: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• ⁠EP Technology: SmartHub

See the full list of nominations here.

EP is proud to be a partner to the entertainment industry, and we congratulate and wish luck to all of those who are nominated. Watch the Oscars live on Sunday, March 27th!