Steven Spielberg

The Angels. Hardly anyone can miss this lunch in Hollywood: Stars such as Tom Cruise, Austin Butler, Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Steven Spielberg and Michelle Williams met at the traditional Oscar lunch. Among the dozens of trophy contenders at the Beverly Hilton Hotel was the German director Edward Berger – along with nominated filmmakers who worked on the anti-war drama «Nothing New in the West».

The German film is one of the Oscar favorites with nine nominations, including in the top category “Best Film”. Only the weird science fiction comedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” has more chances of winning with eleven entries.

At the “Luncheon” reception four weeks before the Oscar gala, dozens of filmmakers, including actors, directors, make-up artists, special effects makers and short filmmakers, traditionally celebrate their nominations.

Shoulder to shoulder for the group picture

In addition to director Berger, film producer Malte Grunert, composer Volker Bertelmann, special effects experts Frank Petzold and Viktor Müller, cameraman James Friend, make-up artist Heike Merker and screenwriters Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell also came from the «Nothing New in the West» team .

All guests lined up shoulder to shoulder in a semicircle for the traditional group picture. They were called out by name to loud applause. This relaxed test run of over 180 nominees lasted half an hour until they all stood together in six rows on the stage.

Tom Cruise, who has Oscar chances as the producer of “Top Gun: Maverick”, shines in the class photo next to actress Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) in the front row. Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) smile in the front row.

Memories of Smith scandal

The nominees fortified themselves at lunch with wild mushroom risotto and fine desserts – and received advice for the Oscar gala. Janet Yang, president of the Oscar Academy, warned future winners to keep their acceptance speeches short on stage, as reported by People.com. Speeches are limited to 45 seconds, after which the music usually ramps up.

Yang also addressed the scandal at the awards gala last March, when Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage in anger at a joke. The incident was completely unacceptable and the academy’s response at the time was inadequate, Yang said self-critically. Smith was then banned from film academy events, including Academy Awards, for ten years.

The Oscar trophies will be awarded for the 95th time on March 12th. Among the nominees are films such as the tragic comedy The Banshees of Inisherin, the biopic Elvis, Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical work The Fabelmans, Top Gun: Maverick, Tar and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. US presenter Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the Oscars for the third time.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:230214-99-585018/7