During the voting period of the Oscar nominations (Fri 5 – Wed 10 March), I will be putting out FYC campaigns for what films Academy members should be giving a watch and who they should be considering giving a nomination for.
Today’s FYC push: The Mauritanian
Best Adapted Screenplay
This year’s Adapted Screenplay category has some great films in it, but it is also the case that the Academy might end up resorting to some standard, average picks. Instead of feeling like you have to vote for News of the World, I propose an idea that you instead give a nomination to The Mauritanian.
Having just received a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the BAFTA awards, the film has slowly emerged as a latecomer given the strong showing this awards season. More Academy members will be slowly leaning to sticking in their screeners for this film as the number of nominations it can potentially get at the Oscars increases, Original Screenplay being the latest one to emerge.
This is such a tough story to tell and one that I am shocked that I didn’t know before the film. This feels like a story everyone needs to hear about and needs to discuss, it has that sense of urgency and that comes out of the screenplay. There is a level of difficulty in telling this story and making it not only authentic and true but not making it fall into the traps of a typical court case film.
If The Mauritanian was campaigning in Best Original Screenplay, I would not even bother trying to ask people to nominate it. However, in a year where I worry the Academy will go for average and boring picks for the Adapted Screenplay category, I ask them to think again and know that there are films that have great scripts and have that level of difficulty with the adaptation that is worth rewarding.
Best Actor: Tahar Rahim
This is one of the toughest years to compete in the Best Actor race in over a decade. Of course, nothing is going to stop Chadwick Boseman’s performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom from steamrolling the year, but there have been other incredibly strong performances fighting for the other nominations. If I was asked what my favourite male performance of the year was, I may actually say Tahar Rahim for The Mauritanian.
Yes, it feels like Jodie Foster is the person from the film that is most likely to grab a nomination. However, you do not leave this film talking about Jodie Foster alone. Instead, the first thing that you take away from The Mauritanian is the incredible performance from Rahim, which is really a showstopper unlike any other male performance this year.
The film eases you into his role, fleshing out his character and his location of Guantanamo Bay as the case only just begins. However, the further the film goes on, the more it explores the struggles that Rahim’s character, Mohamedou Ould Salahi, had to face and that he was innocent throughout it all. His performance is heartbreaking as he is continually tortured, getting more intense as the film goes on.
For some of the actors that are up against Rahim, they may have the critical acclaim and they may already be recognised by the Academy. However, this performance is one of the best of the year and the Golden Globes and the BAFTA have already recognised it. I believe it is a performance that the Oscars should also have a look at, and realise that it is certainly worthy of a nomination.
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