Netflix's "Emilia Pérez" and Universal Pictures' "Wicked" have earned a strong foothold in the 97th Academy Awards race, making a mark on the Oscar shortlist with multiple nominations. 

As the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reveals the contenders in 10 key categories, these two heavyweights are leading the charge, with "Emilia Pérez" garnering six mentions and "Wicked" securing four. 

Meanwhile, India's official entry, "Laapataa Ladies", has failed to make the cut, marking a significant shift in the competitive landscape.

"Boli" from Bangladesh and the Aamir Khan-produced "Laapataa Ladies" were submitted for the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards. However, both films failed to make it to the shortlist. 

"Boli", directed by Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury, was Bangladesh's sole submission, while "Laapataa Ladies", India's official entry, also missed out on a spot in the final list, The Academy confirmed the film's exclusion during today's announcement.

In contrast, British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri's "Santosh", starring Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, made it under the Best International Feature category. 

The film, representing the UK, joins an impressive list that includes "Emilia Pérez" (France), "I'm Still Here" (Brazil), "Universal Language" (Canada), "Waves" (Czech Republic), "The Girl with the Needle" (Denmark), and "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" (Germany), among others. Also in the race are "Touch" (Iceland), "Kneecap" (Ireland), "Vermiglio" (Italy), "Flow" (Latvia), "Armand" (Norway), "From Ground Zero" (Palestine), "Dahomey" (Senegal), and "How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies" (Thailand).

With the final Oscar nominations scheduled to be declared on January 17, the Academy revealed that 85 countries or regions submitted films for consideration in the International Feature Film category alone.

"Santosh", marking Suri's directorial debut, tells the story of a recently widowed housewife (Goswami) who unexpectedly inherits her late husband's job as a police constable. She soon finds herself deeply involved in the investigation of a young girl's murder.

Preliminary voting is now underway across categories such as animated short film, documentary feature, documentary short, international feature, live-action short, makeup and hairstyling, original score, original song, sound, and visual effects.

Oscar voting to finalise the nominees in all 23 categories will take place from January 8 to 12. The full list of nominees will be revealed on January 17.

Five 2024 Student Academy Award-winning films are also in the running: "Keeper" (documentary short), "Au Revoir Mon Monde" and "Origami" (animated short), and "The Compatriot" and "Crust" (live-action short). Final nominations in these shortlisted categories will be determined soon.

Conan O'Brien will host the 2025 Oscars, which is set to take place on March 2.

The complete list of films on the shortlist is listed below.

Documentary Feature

"The Bibi Files" (Jolt.Film)
"Black Box Diaries" (MTV Documentary Films)
"Dahomey" (Mubi)
"Daughters" (Netflix)
"Eno" (Film First Co.)
"Frida" (Amazon MGM Studios)
"Hollywoodgate" (Fourth Act Film)
"No Other Land" (ImmerGuteFilme)
"Porcelain War" (Picturehouse)
"Queendom" (Greenwich Entertainment)
"The Remarkable Life of Ibelin" (Netflix)
"Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat" (Kino Lorber)
"Sugarcane" (National Geographic Documentary Films)
"Union" (Level Ground)
"Will & Harper" (Netflix)

International Feature

"Armand" (IFC Films) from Norway
"Dahomey" (Mubi) from Senegal
"Emilia Pérez" (Netflix) from France
"Flow" (Janus Films and Sideshow) from Latvia
"From Ground Zero" (No U.S. Distribution) from Palestine
"The Girl With the Needle" (Mubi) from Denmark
"How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies" (Well Go USA Entertainment) from Thailand
"I'm Still Here" (Sony Pictures Classics) from Brazil
"Kneecap" (Sony Pictures Classics) from Ireland
"Santosh" (Metrograph Pictures) from United Kingdom
"The Seed of the Sacred Fig" (Neon) from Germany
"Touch" (Focus Features) from Iceland
"Universal Language" (Oscilloscope Laboratories) from Canada
"Waves" (No U.S. Distribution) from Czech Republic
"Vermiglio" (Janus Films) from Italy

Makeup and Hairstyling

"The Apprentice" (Briarcliff Entertainment)
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" (Warner Bros.)
"A Different Man" (A24)
"Dune: Part Two" (Warner Bros.)
"Emilia Pérez" (Netflix)
"Maria" (Netflix)
"Nosferatu" (Focus Features)
"The Substance" (Mubi)
"Waltzing with Brando" (Filmin'Tahiti)
"Wicked" (Universal Pictures)

Sound

"Alien: Romulus" (20th Century Studios)
"Blitz" (Apple Original Films)
"A Complete Unknown" (Searchlight Pictures)
"Deadpool & Wolverine" (Marvel Studios)
"Dune: Part Two" (Warner Bros.)
"Emilia Pérez" (Netflix)
"Gladiator II" (Paramount Pictures)
"Joker: Folie à Deux" (Warner Bros.)
"Wicked" (Universal Pictures)
"The Wild Robot" (DreamWorks Animation)
It's a musical bonanza!

Visual Effects

"Alien: Romulus" (20th Century Studios)
"Better Man" (Paramount Pictures)
"Civil War" (A24)
"Deadpool & Wolverine" (Marvel Studios)
"Dune: Part Two" (Warner Bros.)
"Gladiator II" (Paramount Pictures)
"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" (20th Century Studios)
"Mufasa: The Lion King" (Walt Disney Pictures)
"Twisters" (Universal Pictures)
"Wicked" (Universal Pictures)

Original Score

"Alien: Romulus" (20th Century Studios) — Benjamin Wallfisch
"Babygirl" (A24) — Cristobal Tapia de Vee
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" (Warner Bros.) — Danny Elfman
"Blink Twice" (Amazon MGM Studios) — Chanda Dancy
"Blitz" (Apple Original Films) — Hans Zimmer
"The Brutalist" (A24) — Daniel Blumberg
"Challengers" (Amazon MGM) — Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
"Conclave" (Focus Features) — Volker Bertelmann
"Emilia Pérez" (Netflix) — Clément Ducol, Camille
"The Fire Inside" (Amazon MGM Studios) — Tamar-kali
"Gladiator II" (Paramount Pictures) — Harry Gregson-Williams
"Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1" (Warner Bros.) — John Debney
"Inside Out 2" (Pixar) — Andrea Datzman
"Nosferatu" (Focus Features) — Robin Carolan
"The Room Next Door" (Sony Pictures Classics) — Alberto Iglesias
"Sing Sing" (A24) — Bryce Dessner
"The Six Triple Eight" (Netflix) — Aaron Zigman
"Wicked" (Universal Pictures) — John Powell, Stephen Schwartz
"The Wild Robot" (DreamWorks Animation) — Kris Bowers
"Young Woman and the Sea" (Walt Disney Pictures) — Amelia Warner

Original Song

"Forbidden Road" from "Better Man" (Paramount Pictures)
"Winter Coat" from "Blitz" (Apple Original Films)
"Compress/Repress" from "Challengers" (Amazon MGM Studios)
"Never Too Late" from "Elton John: Never Too Late" (Walt Disney Pictures)
"El Mal" from "Emilia Pérez" (Netflix)
"Mi Camino" from "Emilia Pérez" (Netflix)
"Sick In The Head" from "Kneecap" (Sony Pictures Classics)
"Beyond" from "Moana 2" (Walt Disney Pictures)
"Tell Me It's You" from "Mufasa: The Lion King" (Walt Disney Pictures)
"Piece By Piece" from "Piece by Piece" (Focus Features)
"Like A Bird" from "Sing Sing" (A24)
"The Journey" from "The Six Triple Eight" (Netflix)
"Out Of Oklahoma" from "Twisters" (Universal Pictures)
"Kiss The Sky" from "The Wild Robot" (DreamWorks Animation)
"Harper And Will Go West" from "Will & Harper" (Netflix)

Animated Short Film

"Au Revoir Mon Monde"
"A Bear Named Wojtek"
"Beautiful Men"
"Bottle George"
"A Crab in the Pool"
"In the Shadow of the Cypress"
"Magic Candies"
"Maybe Elephants"
"Me"
"Origami"
"Percebes"
"The 21"
"Wander to Wonder"
"The Wild-Tempered Clavier"
"Yuck!"

Documentary Short Film

"Chasing Roo"
"Death by Numbers"
"Eternal Father"
"I Am Ready, Warden"
"Incident"
"Instruments of a Beating Heart"
"Keeper"
"Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World"
"Once Upon a Time in Ukraine"
"The Only Girl in the Orchestra"
"Planetwalker"
"The Quilters"
"Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr"
"A Swim Lesson"
"Until He's Back"

Live Action Short Film

"Anuja"
"Clodagh"
"The Compatriot"
"Crust"
"Dovecote"
"Edge of Space"
"The Ice Cream Man"
"I'm Not a Robot"
"The Last Ranger"
"A Lien"
"The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent"
"The Masterpiece"
"An Orange from Jaffa"
"Paris 70"
"Room Taken"

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