Oscars

The Forward’s 2021 Oscars Quiz

This year’s Oscar nominees prove the Academy is more devoted to itself than to diversity

For the Academy, there was only room for one, wigged, weird-accented performance from Sacha Baron Cohen. Naturally, it went to the one scripted by Aaron Sorkin and dripping with sanctimony. The Oscars announced the full roster of nominees Monday morning, marking nearly a year without cinemas, exempting many of the top contenders from a theatrical…

Our big idea for how Steven Spielberg should spend his Genesis Prize money

Steven Spielberg’s Oscars are about to have some company. On Wednesday the Genesis Prize announced that the director behind such films as “Jaws” and “Schindler’s List” was selected for the “Jewish Nobel,” which comes with a $1 million prize. For the first time in its history, world Jewry was invited to vote on who would…

Is Serbia using a Holocaust film as nationalist propaganda?

'Dara of Jasenovac' is the first feature-length narrative about the death camp - but is it trying to score political points?

The real ‘Mank’ hated Hitler and helped refugees — he was also an isolationist

Holed up at a dusty ranch in Victorville, California, with a full-leg cast, screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz has been self-medicating as he works his way through a draft of “Citizen Kane.” When his secretary, Rita Alexander, learns he’s sneaked booze into the guest residence, she confronts his accomplice, a German nurse. “Frieda, you mustn’t let…

At a historic Oscars, Jews from Taika Waititi to Joaquin Phoenix made their mark

The 2020 Oscars, host-less and lacking diversity, were mostly programmatic — but still packed some surprises. The night was historic, marking the first time a non-English language film has ever won Best Picture. Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” which also swept Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film, follows a have-not South Korean…

This Jewish family was nominated for more Oscars than any other

There is no name in film music that carries as much cachet as “Newman.” I can prove it: you probably don’t know which Newman I’m talking about. While John Williams has an impressive 52 Oscar nominations, the Newman family, collectively, have 95. Here are more numbers. This year alone, two Newmans, cousins Thomas and Randy,…