Unfiltered Oscar Ballot Reveal: ‘Conclave’ Takes the Lead for Best Picture, But ‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Loses My Vote Over Controversial Tweets!

The following insights share the thoughts of a member from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ short films branch. This reflects his votes and the reasons behind them as shared with THR. These views are his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Academy.

Best Picture

I enjoyed Emilia Pérez but it didn’t earn a top spot for me. I wish more recognition went to films like Sing Sing or Juror #2. Animated and documentary films often get overlooked by the Academy. Wicked presented a solid musical, while I’m Still Here stood out to me as the pick for international feature. The performances in A Complete Unknown were strong, and I was impressed by Timmy Chalamet and Monica Barbaro both singing and playing the guitar.

Anora was fun and well-directed by Sean Baker. But The Substance caught my attention for its bold storytelling and immersive experience. It’s rare for horror movies to get recognition, but this one resonated, particularly with its themes related to women in Hollywood. The first Dune was fantastic, though Dune: Part Two faltered with some plot points. Cinematically, it was breathtaking. Nickel Boys was audacious in its adaptation, a challenging book made compelling by RaMell Ross’s direction.

Choosing between my top two films was tough. The Brutalist surprised me with its depth, while Conclave was thrilling and well-crafted, with an intriguing ending. Edward Berger is an exceptional director.

VOTE: (1) Conclave, (2) The Brutalist, (3) Nickel Boys, (4) Dune: Part Two, (5) The Substance, (6) Anora, (7) A Complete Unknown, (8) I’m Still Here, (9) Wicked, (10) Emilia Pérez

Best Director

I view directing like an Olympic sport: the execution and difficulty matter. Edward Berger, RaMell Ross, and Denis Villeneuve were deserving of recognition. It puzzled me to see James Mangold nominated instead of talents like these. No offense to Mangold, but directing an epic seems more challenging. I debated between Brady Corbet and Coralie Fargeat. Ultimately, I chose Coralie. She’s one of the few women who has made a big impact in this category and executed her vision flawlessly.

VOTE: Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

Best Actor

This category posed a real challenge for me. Timmy Chalamet was an easier cut. Ralph Fiennes in Conclave and Colman Domingo from Sing Sing both delivered excellent performances. Getting to know the guys from Sing Sing added to my appreciation of Colman’s work.

VOTE: Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Best Actress

I briefly considered voting for Karla, but her recent tweets shocked me. It quickly became clear I couldn’t vote for her. I then weighed between Mikey Madison in Anora and Demi Moore in The Substance. Both gave captivating performances, but Demi’s long-standing work in the industry makes her achievement even more impressive.

VOTE: Demi Moore, The Substance

Best Supporting Actor

I found it surprising that Yura Borisov from Anora earned a nomination. I considered other strong performances but ultimately went with Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain.

VOTE: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Best Supporting Actress

I’ve never been as impressed with Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez as others. I weighed options like Isabella Rossellini in Conclave, but I was really taken by Monica in A Complete Unknown. She completely transformed compared to her role in Top Gun: Maverick.

VOTE: Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown

Best Adapted Screenplay

I was open to many choices besides Emilia Pérez. I found myself conflicted between Conclave, Nickel Boys, and Sing Sing.

VOTE: Sing Sing

Best Original Screenplay

Both Anora and A Real Pain featured great scripts, but you can’t beat the originality of The Substance.

VOTE: The Substance

Best Animated Feature

I thought I’d definitely vote for Inside Out 2, but The Wild Robot won me over with its strong story, humor, and emotional depth.

VOTE: The Wild Robot

Best Documentary Feature

I wasn’t as impressed with Sugarcane. I narrowed it down to Black Box Diaries and No Other Land, ultimately choosing No Other Land for its emotional weight and shocking subject matter.

VOTE: No Other Land

Best International Feature

I initially considered voting for Emilia Pérez, but after recent developments, I leaned towards I’m Still Here over The Seed of the Sacred Fig.

VOTE: I’m Still Here, Brazil

Best Cinematography

While The Brutalist offered stunning visuals, I opted for Dune: Part Two because of its breathtaking cinematography on such a grand scale.

VOTE: Dune: Part Two

Best Costume Design

Between Wicked and Conclave, I chose Conclave for its unique approach to costume selection.

VOTE: Conclave

Best Film Editing

Even though Anora had some great moments, I felt The Brutalist maintained a tight narrative throughout its long runtime.

VOTE: The Brutalist

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

The choice was easy for me; The Substance excelled in its transformative makeup effects throughout the film.

VOTE: The Substance

Best Original Score

After listening to all the nominees’ scores multiple times, I believe Kris Bowers’s work in The Wild Robot deserves the recognition this year.

VOTE: The Wild Robot

Best Original Song

The song choices were somewhat underwhelming. I leaned towards the songs from Sing Sing and John: Never Too Late, but ultimately favored Sing Sing for its fitting context in the film.

VOTE: “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing

Best Production Design

Conclave really impressed me with its detailed recreation of the Vatican, making it feel incredibly authentic.

VOTE: Conclave

Best Sound

Each nominee offered something different, but I opted for Dune: Part Two due to its complex sound design in an epic setting.

VOTE: Dune: Part Two

Best Visual Effects

Dune: Part Two clearly stood out in this category.

VOTE: Dune: Part Two

Best Animated Short

I came across many great shorts, but I found Yuck! especially adorable, earning my vote.

VOTE: Yuck!

Best Documentary Short

I enjoyed Incident and I Am Ready, Warden. I chose Incident for its compelling storytelling through surveillance footage.

VOTE: Incident

Best Live-Action Short

I liked several nominees, particularly I’m Not a Robot and The Last Ranger. I chose The Last Ranger due to its stunning cinematography.

VOTE: The Last Ranger