Two Germans on 2022 Oscar shortlist

Ahead of the nominations for next year's Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Oscars, released its shortlist in 10 categories on Tuesday.

Maria Schrader up for best international feature

German director Maria Schrader — best known internationally for her Emmy Award-winning series "Unorthodox" — has been shortlisted in the best international feature category with her science fiction romance, "I'm Your Man," which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year.

Other nods in the category include Austria's entry, "Great Freedom," by Sebastian Meise. The film won Cannes Jury Prize in 2021. 

Iran director Asghar Farhadi, who has already won two Oscars in the best foreign film category with "A Separation" and "A Salesman," is back in the run with "A Hero."

The Danish animated film "Flee," which tells the story of a refugee from Afghanistan, is also on the list. Jonas Poher Rasmussen's film is the first in the Academy Awards' history to be eligible in the animated, documentary and international categories.

Bhutan is also a step closer to an Oscar nomination for the first time, with the film "Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom" also landing on the list.

The French film "Titane," which won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes film festival, was the shortlist's surprise snub.

Hans Zimmer scores twice

German composer Hans Zimmer also made it to the list, with two entries in the best original score category — one for "Dune," a remake of the 1965 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, and the other for the latest James Bond film, "No Time to Die." 

British composer Johnny Greenwood also landed two nominations in the category, for his compositions in "The Power of the Dog" and "Spencer."

Beyonce competes against husband Jay-Z

Singer Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z both feature in the best original song category, for "King Richard" and "Guns Go Bang" respectively. If they both appear in the final nominations, it will be the first time in Oscar history that a husband and wife compete in the same category.

Other notable singers in the shortlist include Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell for their title track in "No Time To Die," and Jennifer Hudson for her rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Respect."

Eilish's personal look on her life, "The World's a Little Blurry," has also been shortlisted in the best documentary category.

The final list of nominations and nominees for all films will be announced on February 8, 2022. The award ceremony takes place in Hollywood's Dolby theater on March 27.

International features, the complete list

Amid various year's-end compilations, the Academy's selection of films in the best international feature category reads like a viewing recommendation for the upcoming months.

Here's the complete list:

"Great Freedom" (Austria) – directed by Sebastian Meise

"Playground" (Belgium) – directed by Laura Wandel

"Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom" (Bhutan) – directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji

"Flee" (Denmark) – directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen

"Compartment No. 6" (Finland) – directed by Juho Kuosmanen

"I'm Your Man" (Germany) – directed by Maria Schrader

"Lamb" (Iceland) – directed by Valdimar Johannsson

"A Hero" (Iran) – directed by Asghar Farhadi

"The Hand of God" (Italy) – directed by Paolo Sorrentino

"Drive My Car" (Japan) – directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi

"Hive" (Kosovo) – directed by Blerta Basholli

"Prayers for the Stolen" (Mexico) – directed by Tatiana Huezo

"The Worst Person in the World" (Norway) – directed by Joachim Trier

"Plaza Catedral" (Panama) – directed by Abner Benaim

"The Good Boss" (Spain) – directed by Fernando Leon de Aranoa

mg/eg (AFP, dpa)