Saturday, January 24, 2026-This year’s 98th Academy Award nominations reveal a film industry that looks much more like the world at large than it once did, with a striking number of international films, creators, and milestone achievements represented across almost every major category.
The nominations were led by Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which set an Oscars record with 16 nominations, and films like Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent also scored major nods to backbone stories that span languages, cultures, and continents. Actors and creators from Brazil, Norway, and other non‑U.S. cinema traditions earned historic nominations, signaling that global voices now carry substantial weight with Academy voters.
Academy members have become significantly more international and diverse over the past decade, which is reflected in the breadth of films recognized this year. For the first time in Oscars history, international films received nominations in all four acting categories, spotlighting performances in films produced largely outside the U.S. and in languages other than English.
This expanded global footprint in acting and above‑the‑line categories marks a departure from older norms where non‑English works were mostly confined to the International Feature segment, and it underscores how worldwide storytelling now intersects meaningfully with Hollywood’s most prestigious awards.
Critics and industry observers see the trend as more than symbolic: it illustrates the Academy’s ongoing evolution from a primarily Hollywood‑centric institution to one that increasingly champions cinema from around the world. The inclusion of diverse stories from European dramas to African and Middle Eastern narratives demonstrates that Oscar voters are broadening their cultural lens and recognizing cinematic excellence wherever it originates.
As audiences increasingly stream global films and festivals worldwide elevate foreign voices, the Oscars’ nominations this year reinforce that the awards are not just celebrating American filmmaking but embracing a truly international cinematic community.
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