‘Close’: Lukas Dhont On Why You Should See His Oscar-Nominated Film This Weekend [Interview]

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Move over, Tom Cruise! The “Top Gun: Maverick” legend wasn’t the only star Hollywood’s latest group of Oscar contenders were excited about seeing at Monday’s nominees luncheon. “The Banshees of Inisherin” stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson gushed over meeting Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”). “I spent a long time chatting with him,” Gleeson told me after the annual luncheon at the Beverly Hilton. In fact, Gleeson texted Mescal after the nominations were announced in January. “I had to ask my son Domhnall for his number. I was very proud of [Mescal],” Gleeson said.

Jennifer Lawrence is supporting her Causeway co-star Brian Tyree Henry during his Oscar campaign!

“Argentina 1985’s” director Santiago Mitre spent over two years researching his film on the story of th public prosecutors who took on the country’s brutal dictators. He said his film was able to get the audience thinking about the real-world problems that go on in their own countries. Mitre joined fellow international film directors on a panel that included Jerzy Skolimowski (“EO”), Lukas Dhont (“Close”), Colm Bairéad (“The Quiet Girl”), Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) and Santiago Mitre (“Argentina, 1985”). Roger Durling, the festival’s director moderated the panel.

Eight years ago, Ruben Östlund made history, it just wasn’t the history he was hoping for at the time. After earning massive critical acclaim, his breakout black comedy, “Force Majeure,” was snubbed as Sweden’s submission for the International Film Academy Award.

Based on concerns that surfaced last week around the TO LESLIE awards campaign, the Academy began a review into the film’s campaigning tactics. The Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the film’s nomination should be rescinded.

The surprise Best Actress Oscar nomination for Andrea Riseborough’s performance in the drama “To Leslie” is still causing some angst in Hollywood, given the project had little-to-no money and no traditional Oscar campaign behind it, shocking the industry in the process. Instead, a last-minute grassroots campaign to get the actress a nomination was fueled by peers like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, Sarah Paulson, Edward Norton, and others.

Neon and Topic Studios present writer/director Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool at 1,835 theaters in a lively specialty weekend sandwiched between a new crop of Sundance films and noteworthy expansions in the glow of Oscar nominations.

HBO has announced that its Academy Award-nominated documentary All That Breathes, from director-producer Shaunak Sen (Cities of Sleep), will premiere on the premium cabler on February 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, and will also be available to stream on HBO Max.

Manifesting his success. Austin Butler spoke his Oscar nomination into existence — and his former costar and good friend Ashley Tisdale has the receipts to prove it.

It looks like it’s a forward march into Oscars season with the heavily accoladed war-drama All Quiet on the Western Front. Following its impressive 14 nomination count at the BAFTAs in almost all major categories, the film’s director Edward Berger and producer Malte Grunert now sound off to the tune of nine total Oscar nominations for: Best Picture, International Feature Film, Cinematography, Music (Original Score), Production Design and Make-up and Hairstyling.

A commenter named Brad replied to an Oscar predictions piece I put up over the weekend and said: “There used to be a time when I anticipated the Oscar Nominations. But I feel that time has not been good to the Academy Awards and with so many awards ceremonies these days, the Oscars do not seem special like they once did.”

The awards keep on coming for Swedish writer-director Ruben Östlund. The two-time winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival just spent Monday night celebrating a six-trophy sweep at Sweden’s esteemed Guldbagge awards that included a win for Best Director and Best Film.

On Tuesday, Austin Butler officially became an Oscar nominee for his onscreen portrayal of Elvis Presley.