Imprint’s early Oscars 2025 predictions for perhaps the messiest season in recent history

Just like clockwork, it’s awards season again — and this time, it’s pretty messy.

We’ve had controversy around the use of AI in films like The Brutalist, discourse around the need of intimacy co-ordinators in films like Anora, and pretty much everything about Emilia Pérez (including the recent resurfacing of horrific tweets from lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón)!

With almost a month to go till the 97th Academy Awards on March 2 and most of the precursor awards yet to take place, a lot can change about this year’s race. Until then, here are our early Oscars predictions. 

Note that Canada is still yet to receive many of the nominees in theatres, so we haven’t covered every category — keep an eye on Imprint’s website for updated predictions once we’ve seen more of the nominees and are deeper into the season.

Best Picture: 

Abhiraj: This may be one of the most competitive Best Picture races I’ve seen in my predicting career. Although Emilia Pérez was considered the universal frontrunner for much of the race, I think it’s been engulfed in far too much controversy. When all is said and done, I believe Conclave will take this one home — and I can’t help but note how the movie acts as a fantastic metaphor for this race.

Andie: On the topic of Emilia Pérez, I’m with Abhiraj on this one. Despite its AI controversy in recent weeks, The Brutalist might still pull through, although I’d be more than happy to see a Conclave win.

Best Directing: 

Abhiraj: Consistently one of the safest categories to predict, I think Brady Corbet is taking this one home for The Brutalist and I don’t foresee much that could happen this season to change that.

Andie: My thoughts exactly. Exciting to see a Coralie Fargeat nomination here though!

Actress in a Leading Role:
Abhiraj: I’m probably going against the grain here but I’m Still Here’s surprise presence in the Best Picture race is likely to have a domino-effect on other races including this one and I think Fernanda Torres (who is the second Brazilian actress ever to be nominated for an Oscar after her mother) will take this home.

Andie: In what has shaped up to be an increasingly messy race, it’s looking more likely than ever that Demi Moore will take this category for her performance in The Substance. After winning a Golden Globe back in January, there’s a strong narrative here for her (although as Abhiraj says, Fernanda Torres could perhaps challenge this).

Actor in a Leading Role:
Abhiraj: Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown is the wild card here and it wouldn’t exactly be a surprise if he wins but I think Adrien Brody likely has an upper hand for his performance in The Brutalist.

Andie: I tend to agree with Abhiraj here. Chalamet is campaigning hard, but Brody has the Golden Globe under his belt so it might be tough to challenge. Interestingly enough, if Chalamet were to win, he’d become the youngest actor to do so in this category—replacing the current record which was set by Brody in 2002.

Actress in a Supporting Role: 

Abhiraj: This category is Zoe Saldaña’s to lose and although she may be hurt a little by all the controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez, at the end of the day I think she’ll come out on top. A possible upset in this category could be Ariana Grande for Wicked. My personal favourite in this category however is Isabella Rossellini’s gripping performance in Conclave.

Andie: Whether I’d like to admit it or not, Zoe Saldaña seems to be riding the wave here with Emilia Pérez, especially after her Golden Globes win. That being said, anyone who knows me knows how much I adore both Grande and Rossellini.

Actor in a Supporting Role: 

Abhiraj: Kieran Culkin has this one in the bag for his skilled performance in A Real Pain but if his on-screen Succession brother Jeremy Strong were to one-up him, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Andie: Out of the acting categories, this one is probably the easiest to predict, with Kieran Culkin leading the way with his performance in A Real Pain.

Best Original Screenplay: 

Abhiraj: Screenplays are almost always my strongest category to predict, and I think Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold are a lock in this category, winning for The Brutalist.

Andie: I’m tentatively leaning the same way, although I wouldn’t be too shocked if Sean Baker’s Anora snuck up here. The Substance would be a fantastic upset though, with an absolutely hysterical screenplay by Coralie Fargeat.

Best Adapted Screenplay: 

Abhiraj: This was my first prediction of the year and one I intend to stick with to the end. Peter Straughan is taking this home for his masterful script Conclave.

Andie: Gotta be Peter Straughan for Conclave! This was such a fun, engrossing movie, and I’d be heartbroken if it didn’t at least take this category.

Best International Feature:
Abhiraj: Another category where Emilia Pérez was long assumed to be the frontrunner, I think the tide turned the moment Brazil’s submission I’m Still Here managed to be nominated for Best Picture. Perhaps earlier, right after lead actress Fernanda Torres’ Golden Globe win.

Andie: We can only hope that I’m Still Here is able to take this category from Emilia Pérez (France’s submission), but I’m not quite ready to get my hopes up. With a whopping 13 nominations, Academy voters signaled that they somehow enjoyed this mess of a film.

Best Documentary Feature Film: 

Abhiraj: No Other Land is one of the most powerful films I saw this year and I think much of the Academy will agree. Despite not having US (or Canadian) distribution yet, this joint Israeli-Palestinian production is likely to take the Oscar home.

Andie: I’m yet to see this year’s nominees, but all signs point to a win for No Other Land.

Best Original Song: 

Abhiraj: “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez will probably take this home, with an upset in this category being unlikely.

Andie: Out of its (baffling) two nominations in this category, “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez is poised to win here.

Best Animated Feature: 

Abhiraj: The Latvian film Flow which has also been nominated for Best International Feature has been critically acclaimed for the authenticity of its animation and is likely to take this one home.

Andie: The Wild Robot has had consistent critical success, so I’d bet it stands a strong chance here. That being said, Flow has a real possibility of taking this one instead.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: 

Abhiraj: A Different Man

Andie: The Substance

And finally, a few more categories where both of us can agree on:

Best Original Score: Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist

Best Sound: Dune: Part Two

Best Editing: Conclave

Best Cinematography: The Brutalist

Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two

Best Production Design: The Brutalist

Best Costume Design: Wicked