The main film ceremony of the year will take place in Hollywood on the night of March 16. Who will win “Oscar” in the “Best Film” category – “Sinners” or “One Battle After Another”? Will Jessie Buckley receive a well-deserved statuette for her brilliant work in the drama “Hamlet”? What are director Chloé Zhao’s chances of winning an “Oscar” for the third time? The editorial staff of Vogue Ukraine shares their predictions and favorites.
Best Film
Favorite: “Sinners”
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The battle in the main category will be fierce, as both favorite films top the predictions of world critics and bookmakers. Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” – a horror film set in Mississippi in the 1930s about two gangster brothers facing vampires – has a record 16 “Oscar” nominations, while the drama “One Battle After Another” by one of the most prominent directors of modern America, Paul Thomas Anderson, has 13.
Both films are worthy of victory. But most critics agree that on the night of March 16, we will witness the triumph of “Sinners”, as it is a strong psychological drama that addresses racial issues, and the Academy has been sympathetic to this theme in recent years. The film also stands out for its brilliant performances by actors who have not previously been recognized with nominations or wins. In particular, Michael B. Jordan brilliantly, skillfully, and flexibly embodies the roles of both brothers, Smoke and Stack, who must battle supernatural evil. “Sinners” also features a breakthrough performance by Miles Keaton, a 20-year-old actor who plays a young musician, making his debut in major cinema with this role. In the winter, he was awarded Best Young Actor at the Critics’ Choice Awards 2026.
Read more arguments in favor of “Sinners” at the link.
Best Director
Favorite: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
55-year-old Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the leading directors of our time, who has given us a series of talented films such as “Phantom Thread,” “The Master,” and “There Will Be Blood.” The irony is that Anderson, a laureate of three world film festivals – Cannes, Venice, and Berlin – and a 14-time “Oscar” nominee, has never received one. But it seems this year will be a just triumph for the director. The situation is reminiscent of 2024 when Christopher Nolan finally received a statuette for “Oppenheimer.”
Anderson is a master of complex psychological cinema, with his characteristic unhurried style and original, often shocking plot twists. His film “One Battle After Another” is equally stunning. It tells the story of Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) – a former hippie, drug addict, and alcoholic who falls in love with the wild Profidia (Teyana Taylor). The girl reciprocates his feelings and leaves Colonel Lockjaw (Sean Penn) to be with Bob. However, Lockjaw, a white supremacist (of racist ideology), who does not forgive such actions, takes revenge on the couple 16 years later by kidnapping their daughter.
We remind you that Paul Thomas Anderson’s revolutionary epic has already won major awards at the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the US Producers Guild Awards. “One Battle After Another” amazes, shocks, makes people talk about it, and re-evaluate everything they have seen before.
However, it would be unfair not to mention Chloé Zhao in this category. As in recent years, only one woman is competing for the “Oscar” for best directing in 2026 – and it is the two-time award winner Zhao, who directed “Hamlet.” If the Academy honors her for the third time, it will be absolutely deserved.
Best Actress
Favorite: Jessie Buckley, “Hamlet”
This year, all anyone is talking about is Jessie Buckley – the 36-year-old Irish star delivers an uncompromising, raw performance that has captivated critics and audiences in the film “Hamlet,” which tells the story of William Shakespeare’s personal life. In January, she won a Golden Globe and will almost certainly receive an “Oscar.”
Perhaps Buckley’s name seems unfamiliar to you, but you have definitely seen her on screen: in the series “Chernobyl,” the films “The Lost Daughter,” which earned her an “Oscar” nomination, or “Women Talking.” Buckley is a graduate of one of the most prestigious theater schools in the world, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and has extensive theater experience – including at the Globe in productions of Shakespeare’s plays, which is considered the best training ground for an actor in Britain.
The Irish actress works in cinema with the principle of “giving her all.” In “Hamlet,” which tells the poignant story of Shakespeare and his wife Agnes’s loss of their son, which eventually led to the writing of “Hamlet,” she poured all her heart and soul. Her winning streak at acting awards this year is like a train rushing without stopping. She has already won awards at the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards – and seems almost unstoppable.
Best Actor
Favorite: Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”
Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, and Wagner Moura: the main “male” category this year is full of stars (by the way, Wagner Moura, who starred in “The Secret Agent,” is the first Brazilian to win a Golden Globe).
Many are rooting for Timothée Chalamet, who demonstrated considerable dramatic talent in “Marta Supreme,” but lately, due to some comments in interviews, he has gotten into scandals (in particular, Timothée spoke about his high chances of receiving an “Oscar”), and the Academy dislikes it when actors become too audacious. Leonardo DiCaprio has a strong chance of winning – in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, he played one of his most challenging roles, once again demonstrating his comedic talent and ability to be an emotionally open actor. But it is likely that Michael B. Jordan will be the winner, who played two characters simultaneously in “Sinners,” which was an emotional and physical challenge for him. As history shows, the Academy loves it when actors test themselves.
Best Supporting Actress
Favorite: Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another”
Five excellent actresses will compete for the win: Elle Fanning for “Sentimental Value,” Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another,” Wunmi Mosaku for “Sinners,” Amy Madigan for “Armed,” and Inga Eide Slettum for “Sentimental Value.” The latter has become a true revelation in this category: in Joachim Trier’s tender family drama, she played in such a way that she literally breaks hearts.
But this year, we want to wish victory to the 35-year-old Teyana Taylor, one of the most talked-about women of the season, who became the revelation of the film “One Battle After Another.” But not only that. First, she caught attention on the Golden Globe red carpet with a daring Schiaparelli look, and a few hours later, she took the stage to receive her first major award – Taylor won in the category “Best Supporting Actress.” Her poignant speech, in which she spoke about the power of women and the right to dream, became one of the key moments of the awards ceremony, as she began her journey in show business at the age of 15 and worked towards recognition for many years. Thus, this victory will be a logical support not only for her but also for young women around the world whose paths have not been easy.
Best Supporting Actor
Favorite: Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value”
This is the nomination with the most uncertainty at the moment. Until the last moment, Sean Penn from “One Battle After Another,” who consecutively won BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards, was the favorite. However, it seems that if we evaluate the acting work purely, then Stellan Skarsgård, a recent Golden Globe winner, who is incredibly subtle and powerful in Joachim Trier’s drama “Sentimental Value,” deserves an “Oscar.” This is a piercing, complex, and powerful role from the 74-year-old actor, who has been working tirelessly for over half a century. If this is not “Oscar” level, then what is? Moreover, Skarsgård willingly plays by the rules of the awards season and diligently conducts his campaign.
However, whoever wins the “Oscar” for “Best Supporting Actor,” it will be well-deserved. Benicio Del Toro (“One Battle After Another”) already has an “Oscar,” but he is charming as always in the role of a sensei with a golden heart. Delroy Lindo from “Sinners,” at 73, is another legend who is too often underestimated (after the audience accepted his final speech at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, it became clear: if he wins, the room will simply explode with joy). And Jacob Elordi played brilliantly in “Frankenstein.”
Best International Feature Film
Favorite: “Sentimental Value”
We are rooting for Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” to win in the “Best International Film” category – by the way, this would be Norway’s first “Oscar” win in this category. We remind you that last year Trier won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, but an “Oscar” has every chance to elevate him from a European cinema star to a Hollywood-scale master, attracting the attention of major studios.
Joachim Trier, one of Scandinavia’s most interesting film directors, breaks stereotypes about the emotional restraint of Nordic personalities. His focus is on the younger generation of Norwegians who desperately try to cope with their explosive emotions, past traumas, and mistakes, which collectively shape their characters. The universality of these anxieties, wrapped in a captivating audiovisual form, strongly resonates with audiences worldwide.
His “Sentimental Value” is primarily a story about family trauma, with excellent acting performances (including stars Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning), and if the Academy is moved by this intimate but brilliant film – it’s a good sign.
Best Costume Design
Favorite: “Frankenstein”
The “Best Costume Design” nomination this year is very bright, as it features the most talented representatives of the profession. Two-time “Oscar” winner, costume designer Ruth E. Carter (“Sinners”), would undoubtedly be a worthy winner – as would Milena Canonero for “Marta Supreme.” But if we talk about the wow effect, the most stunning costumes of 2025 were created by Kate Hawley for “Frankenstein.”
In this film, Hawley achieves the seemingly impossible: she dresses the reckless scientist Victor Frankenstein, played by Oscar Isaac, in luxurious velvet coats and breathtaking jewelry. Mia Goth as Elizabeth – the object of his passion – wears silk ball gowns with a Solar System diagram pattern; vibrant luxurious veils; feather hair ornaments resembling a halo; tulle-framed fans; rare archival Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
The costumes for “Frankenstein” have already earned the designer BAFTA, the Critics’ Choice Award, and the Costume Designers Guild Award for Best Costume Design in a Historical Film. And this is exactly the type of costume that the Academy traditionally loves to recognize – luxurious, detailed looks for grand costume dramas. However, Hawley’s outfits have another feature: they convey a surreal, almost otherworldly futuristic quality that makes these looks absolutely unique. By the way, this is Kate Hawley’s first Oscar nomination; she is also the costume designer for the series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”