If experts and bookmakers are correct, 10 Australian Mad Max: Fury Road crew members will walk out of Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre with gold statuettes on February 29 (Australia time).
It will easily top two other bumper years for Australians at the Oscars.
In 1996 six won Oscars in four categories when George Miller’s Babe and Mel Gibson’s Braveheart ruled.
In 2011 Emile Sherman’s The King’s Speech won Best Picture and animated short filmmaker Shaun Tan, editor Kirk Baxter and make-up artist Dave Elsey were also victorious.
Two-time winner Cate Blanchett (Carol) and director George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road) are also nominated in the major categories but aren’t tipped to walk away with the big prize.
Brie Larson (Room) is favoured to win Best Supporting Actress, while Alejandro Inarritu (The Revenant) is all the rage in the director’s category.
Australia’s nominations (all Mad Max: Fury Road, except for Cate)
Best Picture: George Miller and Doug Mitchell
Best Director: George Miller
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Carol)
Editor: Margaret Sixel
Cinematography: John Seale
Production Design: Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson
Sound Mixing: Ben Osmo
Sound Editing: David White
Makeup and Hairstyling: Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian Martin
Visual Effects: Andrew Jackson and Dan Oliver
Major Awards
BEST PICTURE
Nominees:
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Who should win: The Revenant
BEST DIRECTOR
Nominees:
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Who should win: Alejandro González Iñárritu
BEST ACTOR
Nominees:
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Who should win: Leonardo DiCaprio
BEST ACTRESS
Nominees:
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Who should win: Brie Larson
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Nominees:
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Who should win: Tom Hardy
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Nominees:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Who should win: Alicia Vikander
