Leading nominee failed to earn best picture nomination · 2007-01-24 11:37
The musical drama Dreamgirls led the Oscar field with eight nominations on Tuesday, but its historic omission from the coveted best picture and directing categories instantly transformed the race for Hollywood’s top honours into a wild guessing game.
The event’s organiser, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said it was the first time in the awards’ 79-year history that the leading nominee failed to earn a best picture nomination.
Babel, a globe-spanning exploration of clashing cultures and tragic coincidences, secured seven nominations, followed by Spanish-language adult fairy tale Pan’s Labyrinth and the British royals drama The Queen with six each.
Martin Scorsese’s mob thriller The Departed and the Africa-set exploration of greed and war Blood Diamond picked up five Academy Awards nominations each.
Babel, The Queen and The Departed will compete for best picture alongside Clint Eastwood’s Japanese-language World War 2 saga Letters From Iwo Jima and the low-budget comedy hit Little Miss Sunshine.
The Academy Awards will be held on February 25 in Hollywood, Tonight reports.
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