There is something special about the 2025 Annual Oscar Academy Awards. Despite the countless productions, directors, and actors capable of competing for a statuette, many, as in all their years of history, were not recognized by the academy.
The disappointment of a large part of fans and the media around the world, almost in a religious way, is shown as a result of the announcement of the nominees.
Every year, brilliant artists and works will be snubbed by the academy, which doesn’t make them bad, poorly developed, or of poor quality.
This is visible when we notice the absence of big stars like Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman, and Angelina Jolie, who did not guarantee nominations for this specific award or category, but guaranteed acclaim at so many festivals.
Oscar choices, however, are subjective and depend exclusively on a good campaign, as well as a well-designed political election. On that note, here is a list of 5 snubs of 2025 that you – definitely – should watch!
#1 Nosferatu
The new version of Nosferatu, the first Dracula developed in the 1920s, continued to be the most anticipated of the year and had many expectations for nominations, especially after many positive reviews.
Despite this, the film failed to receive nominations in the main categories, considering the size and quality of the production.
Directed by Robert Eggers, the production contains a unique gothic beauty and transports you deep into the land of dreamlike nightmares, along with masterful performances from the cast.
Lily-Rose Depp and Bill Skårsgard disappear into their characters. The quality involved is not merely aesthetic, but rather artistic and entirely interpretative.
#2 Queer
Daniel Craig plays one of the biggest roles of his career. In Queer, he is a writer who drowns his sorrows in alcohol and spends his nights looking for sex in Mexico City.
The director, Luca Guadagnino, seeks in his works to develop connections between his characters – The search for human contact.
The plot unfolds before the emergence of his counterpart, a romantic bond with an ex-soldier, presenting the audience with a game of seduction and an incessant spiritual search for both characters. The film is fantasy, the colors are intense and transport us to what Guadagnino proposed from the beginning.
#3 María
Angelina Jolie gives life to Maria Callas, an iconic opera singer of the 20th century, directed by Pablo Larraín. The film ends the trilogy of three tragic women in history, Maria Callas being the last.
The biopic is an excerpt from Maria’s period in Paris, a moment in which she assigns her thoughts to her life trajectory marked by fame and troubled moments.
The film is a sensitive look at Maria meeting herself, with Angelina’s performance considered by many to be the most impressive of her career. It connects the audience with an art that is not accessible to many: The Ópera.
#4 Gladiator II
The sequel to Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, was considered by portals such as BBC as the biggest entertainment film of the year.
Now, Rome has two decadent emperors, who are presented as frightening figures with heavy makeup. The performances are electrifying; however, Paul Mescal becomes a central point in the vast majority of scenes, being certainly crucial to the genius and high level of the film.
It’s bold and unique. The film was only nominated for the Best Costume Design category at this year’s awards. Paul Mescal and Denzel Washinton, both valued for their amazing job, were not nominated.
#5 Kinds of Kindness
If you fell in love with Poor Things, get ready for Kinds of Kindness, as you will feel that this one is definitely crazier than the other.
Yorgos Lanthimos, the director, presents three stories to the viewer. They all have a central character and there is no great connection between them, considering the idea of bringing an absurd and surrealistic side to the film.
The performances are surreal and although the film did not make it to the Oscars, it was enthusiastically criticized at the Cannes Film Festival in France. It’s always important to reserve space on your list for Lanthimos’ crazy things.
But why do we care so much about the Oscars?
The primary factor we must be aware of is the essence and existential reason for the award. Many festivals take place throughout the year and are specifically designed to promote cinema culture on a global scale, such as the Cannes, Venice, Berlin, or Toronto Festivals.
These are annual events, which, to the detriment of the chosen works, take place in different countries of the globe. They are a goal for those passionate about seventh art, considering the importance of the act of making cinema in a ritualistic way.
Certainly, since the beginning of the 20th century, in terms of political and historical circumstances, we have seen the United States of America develop one of the greatest industrial powers ever seen: Hollywood. Objectifying in a very practical way, the sale of their culture to the world, through their cinematographic productions.
Long before cinema reached Brazil, for example, at the end of the 19th century, the United States had already been producing its own films for around six years.
In other words, the waiting time was not long after the invention of the art in 1895 by the Lumière brothers, in France. North Americans at the beginning of the last century already had film studios in their major capitals, including the famous Hollywood and New York.
American culture began to be rooted even in those across the ocean and below the equator. Their power was established and due to this, they became the largest and most recognized film land in the world.
As Fernanda Montenegro, the Brazilian actress, said: “As creative artists, we represent a highly referential culture, but below the equator. Every now and then we manage to cross that line.” And that goes not only for Brazilians but for everything besides what is made in Hollywood.
The United States dominated cinema, and of course, we are aware of the reasons for such an investment in something that, until then, was not considered important.
The world had just experienced the First Great War (1914-1917), in which the United States had established itself at the end as victors and administrators of peace. So, the world economy chose their birthplace, attracting power and political influence over others.
We all know the end of the story and the Oscars is seen as factual proof of this timeline. People in all four corners of the planet are influenced by North American culture. They are obviously led to consume “the film nominated for an Oscar”.
There isn’t a person who does not know American culture, and in fact, there are many who have desired it since they were presented with it.
As a result of so much being attributed to a few, and little attributed to many, the banner of it is a political influence that is raised again in all the starry nights, red carpets, and with the most fervent nominations, making the Oscar, held in the city of Los Angeles, the biggest award in North American cinema and, of course, in the world.
For film lovers, the Oscar Academy Awards is a day full of expectations for those who succumbed to one or multiple nominations and certainly, it is a day of adoration and reward for the works that were created in the previous year.
However, let us not forget that we are idolizing an event that is, above all, political. Brazil, with Walter Salles, and Fernanda Torres, were competing in three categories: Best Actress, Best Internacional Film – which won – , and Best Film.
A milestone was made. In the biggest world cinema award, where all the spotlights are directed and the world is watching, Brazil is on the agenda and brought to the largest country in Latin America its first Oscar, along with it the political and cultural recognition that we so desperately need.
Yes, I’m Still Here had every chance of winning the coveted statuette. However, here we are not just talking about cinematographic quality and level of acting, but from strategic points, influence, and media campaign.
Well then, the fact is clear to all of us. It is not about the essence of an actor, a film, or the incessant work of a director, but rather about the global political moment and the attention that was given to the media, especially influencing the host country, reflecting the dynamics of the award.
Finally, despite the charm and glamor surrounding the Oscar night, don’t forget that if you are passionate about cinema, please don’t look for a parameter of what is good or bad from this award, as the good will not always be defined there. Who knows, maybe a snub from 2025 will become one of your favorite films?
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The article above was edited by Ludmila Costa.
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