From a jazzy Ryan Gosling, to a Montreal team behind 含羞草研究社淎rrival,含羞草研究社� and a trio of homegrown animators, there含羞草研究社檚 a healthy dose of Canuck amongst this year含羞草研究社檚 Oscar nominees.
Here are five Canadian bullet points for Sunday含羞草研究社檚 show, which will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC and CTV:
GA-GA FOR GOSLING
Awards shows have been showering the London, Ont., native with nominations for his 含羞草研究社淟a La Land含羞草研究社� role as a jazz pianist who falls in love with a fledgling actress, played by Emma Stone. The former 含羞草研究社淢ickey Mouse Club含羞草研究社� star has already won a Golden Globe for the part and is up for an Oscar for best actor. It含羞草研究社檚 his second such Oscar nomination after 2006含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淗alf Nelson,含羞草研究社� in which he played a high school teacher with a drug addiction.
Fun fact: Gosling found inspiration in the musicals 含羞草研究社淭op Hat含羞草研究社� starring Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire (含羞草研究社淚 like Fred含羞草研究社檚 style. He含羞草研究社檚 very mischievous,含羞草研究社� he said) and 含羞草研究社淎n American in Paris,含羞草研究社� which he called 含羞草研究社渧ery experimental and yet it doesn含羞草研究社檛 feel pretentious.含羞草研究社�
DENIS VILLENEUVE HAS ARRIVED
Hollywood is hot for the talents of this French-Canadian gem, who is nominated for best director for his heady alien-invasion drama 含羞草研究社淎rrival.含羞草研究社� It含羞草研究社檚 his second Oscars ride after his 2010 drama 含羞草研究社淚ncendies含羞草研究社� was nominated for best foreign-language film. The Quebec filmmaker has had a string of high-profile projects in recent years, including 含羞草研究社淧risoners,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淓nemy含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淪icario.含羞草研究社� His next film is a whopper: the hugely anticipated 含羞草研究社淏lade Runner 2049,含羞草研究社� starring Gosling.
Fun fact: Villeneuve has dreamed of doing science fiction since childhood, when he read European sci-fi comic books. 含羞草研究社淚 was raised with dreaming about space all my childhood,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 part of the 含羞草研究社楽tar Wars含羞草研究社� generation.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淎RRIVAL含羞草研究社満卟菅芯可鐦s MONTREAL MOMENTUM
Several other Montrealers who worked on 含羞草研究社淎rrival含羞草研究社� are also up for Oscars. They include sound editor Sylvain Bellemare production designer Patrice Vermette and decorator Paul Hotte and sound mixers Bernard Gariepy Strobl and Claude La Haye.
Fun fact: Bellemare found inspiration for the sound of the heptapod aliens in Pink Floyd含羞草研究社檚 music and a melange of animals. 含羞草研究社淲e tried to do something that 含羞草研究社� was more based on instinct and rhythm,含羞草研究社� he said.
HIGH HOPES FOR ANIMATED SHORTS
Three of the five titles nominated in the best animated short category have Canadian ties. 含羞草研究社淏lind Vaysha含羞草研究社� is by Montreal含羞草研究社檚 Theodore Ushev and produced by the National Film Board of Canada. 含羞草研究社淧ear Cider and Cigarettes,含羞草研究社� produced by Cara Speller, is directed by Robert Valley of Vancouver. And the Pixar-produced 含羞草研究社淧iper含羞草研究社� is helmed by Alan Barillaro of Chippawa, Ont.
Fun fact: When Ushev heard of his nomination, he fainted, overwhelmed by pent-up emotions from the campaign. 含羞草研究社淎 lot of people were telling me, 含羞草研究社榊ou have a chance, you have a chance,含羞草研究社� and when a lot of people tell you this you just get nervous,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 had to do a lot of yoga and sports to tame the pressure.含羞草研究社�
FIRST NOD FOR 含羞草研究社�13TH含羞草研究社� PRODUCER
Winnipeg-born producer Howard Barish has his first Oscar nomination for the documentary 含羞草研究社�13th,含羞草研究社� which looks at the criminalization and mass incarceration of African Americans in the U.S. He shares the nomination with filmmaker Ava DuVernay and her co-writer, Spencer Averick.
Fun fact: Barish first met DuVernay a decade ago and also had producer roles on her 2010 debut 含羞草研究社淚 Will Follow含羞草研究社� and her 2012 film 含羞草研究社淢iddle of Nowhere.含羞草研究社� Working on her first two films inspired him to focus on 含羞草研究社済iving back.含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淢y current projects revolve around producing small independent features which will embrace emerging talent and first time directors,含羞草研究社� he said.
含羞草研究社� Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
含羞草研究社� with files from David Friend.
