22 Mar Final 2022 Oscar Predictions: Animated Feature, International Feature, Documentary Feature
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Since Inside Out in 2015, every winner in this category has won at both CCA and PGA. This year, those two awards have split with CCA going to The Mitchells vs. the Machines and PGA going to Encanto. This is not a category where the Academy makes especially unique or groundbreaking picks (How are Howl’s Moving Castle, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and Klaus not winners?). They usually go with Pixar films with Disney films like Zootopia, Big Hero 6, and Frozen recently making the cut. Disney’s Encanto is by far the biggest film of the nominees and has enough love and passion throughout the Academy for me to be confident with picking it here (even though Flee or ‘Mitchells’ would be personally preferred).
Nominees:
Encanto – GG, BAFTA, PGA
The Mitchells vs. the Machines – Annie, CCA
Flee – Annie (Indie)
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Pick: Encanto
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
This one seems pretty obvious. The Worst Person in the World and Flee both received nominations in other categories, illustrating the support they both have, however, Drive My Car received nominations in Best Picture and Best Director and should easily win this.
Nominees:
Drive My Car – GG, CCA, BAFTA
The Worst Person in the World
Flee
The Hand of God
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
Pick: Drive My Car
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
No winner in this category in the past seven years has won without a nomination at both BAFTA and DGA and the only nominee that fits that criterion is Summer of Soul. And I’m not even mentioning the fact that Questlove’s film has won at CCA, BAFTA, PGA, and ACE. It’s by far the leader in the precursors, has wide industry support, and is undoubtedly one of the most acclaimed films of the year.
Nominees:
Summer of Soul – CCA, PGA, ACE, BAFTA
Flee
Attica – DGA
Ascension
Writing With Fire
Pick: Summer of Soul