Beyond the Clash: The Other Deserving Awardees at the 98th Academy Awards
Beyond the Best Picture heavyweight bout, the 98th Oscars are set to crown a definitive referendum on the future of genre, global hits, and craft excellence
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While the clash of titans between Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners anchors the headlines, the 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre are shaping up to be a global, cross-genre spectacle.
Other categories are also a close race from the neon-lit streets of animated pop to the high-octane roar of the racetrack; the secondary categories are where the night’s true surprises lie.
The screenplay showdown
The writing categories this year offer a fascinating study in contrast. In Best Original Screenplay, the adrenaline-fueled, rhythmic script for Marty Supreme has become one of the season’s critical darlings.
Conversely, the race for Best Adapted Screenplay has evolved into a clash of eras. Chloé Zhao’s poetic, evocative adaptation of Hamnet is currently neck-and-neck with the dense, sprawling narrative of PTA’s One Battle After Another.
While Zhao offers a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, the Academy’s historical fondness for Anderson’s dialogue-heavy epics makes this the most difficult race to call on the ballot.
Truth in the digital age
In a year defined by blockbuster narratives, the Best Documentary Feature category has emerged as a powerhouse of real-world storytelling.
Geeta Gandbhir’s frontrunner, The Perfect Neighbor, is a chilling, slow-burning examination of a neighborhood dispute turned tragic. Its innovative use of police bodycam footage sparks massive conversation on perspective and accountability in the digital era.
Unlike years past, where the category felt niche, these nominees have achieved genuine commercial success, proving that the Academy’s voters are increasingly drawn to “prestige reality” that mirrors our current cultural anxieties.
The art of textures and shadows
In the craft races, the attention to detail has reached a fever pitch. All eyes are on Hamnet for Best Costume Design, where Malgosia Turzanska has managed a rare feat: creating 16th-century garments that feel historically grounded.
Meanwhile, the race for Best Cinematography has shifted in favor of the evocative, haunting imagery of Train Dreams. While Sinners used light and shadow to create genre-bending tension, the naturalistic, soul-stirring frames of Train Dreams have captured the hearts of the cinematographers’ branch.
A truly global stage
Finally, the Best International Feature category reminds us that the heart of 2026 cinema is borderless. Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value leads a pack of diverse, world-class narratives.
After a triumphant run at Cannes and the BAFTAs, Trier’s latest work is poised to bring Norway its most significant Oscar win to date, proving that the Academy’s scope has never been broader.
Whether it’s the meticulous stitching of a period-accurate doublet or the cold reality of a documentary lens, the 98th Oscars are set to prove that cinema’s future is as diverse as the talent vying for the gold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Key frontrunners in the secondary categories include Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbor for Best Documentary Feature, Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value for Best International Feature, Malgosia Turzanska for Best Costume Design on Hamnet, and Train Dreams for Best Cinematography. The Best Adapted Screenplay race between Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and PTA’s One Battle After Another is considered the hardest to call.
The category pits Chloé Zhao’s atmospheric adaptation of Hamnet against the dense, dialogue-heavy narrative of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Zhao’s approach is considered a masterclass in restraint, while the Academy’s historical fondness for Anderson’s writing style makes either outcome plausible — producing one of the ballot’s most genuinely contested races.
The Perfect Neighbor, directed by Geeta Gandbhir, has driven the category into broader conversation through its use of police bodycam footage to examine a neighborhood dispute with wider implications for accountability in the digital age. Unlike previous years where documentary nominees remained niche, this cycle’s contenders have achieved commercial reach alongside critical recognition.
Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value leads the category following a strong run at Cannes and the BAFTAs. A win would represent Norway’s most significant Oscar achievement to date and would mark another expansion of the Academy’s international scope in a year where the Best International Feature field is considered one of its most competitive in recent memory.
Train Dreams has emerged as the frontrunner for Best Cinematography, with its naturalistic framing drawing strong support from the cinematographers’ branch. Sinners has also been recognized for its use of light and shadow to build genre-bending tension, making the category a two-film race between contrasting visual approaches to the craft.
