The 2025 Oscars season promises to be full of surprises and challenges, with a lineup of candidates that, blending innovation and tradition, spans between auteur works and memorable performances. This highlights the growing alignment in the perspectives between Alberto Barbera’s selections and those of the Academy. Among the prominent titles seen at Venice, such as I Am Still Here, September 5, Maria, and the two animated short films included in Orizzonti, In the Shadow of the Cypress and Wander to Wonder, it’s The Brutalist by Brady Corbet that stands out for its visual and narrative power. Meanwhile, Vermiglio by Maura Delpero, despite being excluded from the Best International Film category, leaves a deep mark.

The Brutalist, already a winner of the Silver Lion at Venice, confirms, with 10 nominations, the visionary talent of Brady Corbet, known for his bold and stylistically innovative approach. The film explores the American Dream through the eyes of a Hungarian architect who emigrates to the United States after World War II. With minimalist cinematography, Corbet captures the sense of alienation and resilience that accompanies the protagonist, masterfully played by Adrien Brody, an actor with great empathy and stage presence. The film is essentially an aesthetic manifesto: architectural brutalism becomes a metaphor for the moral choices and compromises that shape the lives of the protagonists. The nominations for Best Film and Brody for Best Actor are fully deserved, highlighting an emotional depth that leaves a lasting impression.

The exclusion of Vermiglio from the Best International Film category is disappointing. This film is an extraordinary work of intensity. Directed by Maura Delpero, it tackles generational and cultural conflicts in an alpine community where the sacred and the profane intertwine. At the heart of the story is the figure of a young woman who challenges the strict conventions of her community, struggling between personal freedom and belonging. The plot is intimate and contemplative, and the ability to portray the landscape as if it were another character creates a special atmosphere. The exclusion is a missed opportunity to celebrate cinema that, far from commercial logic, succeeds in telling universal stories.

A notable highlight is the nomination of Isabella Rossellini for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Sister Agnes in Conclave by Edward Berger (8 nominations). At 72, the actress receives her first recognition from the Academy, cementing a career that has spanned both auteur cinema and major international productions. Sister Agnes is a silent but central figure who observes and judges without imposing herself—a role that reflects the elegance and depth that have always defined Rossellini.