Jacques Audiard "Emilia Perez"
Sean Baker "Anora"
Brady Corbet "The Brutalist"
Edward Berger "Conclave"
Ridley Scott "Gladiator II"
Other Contenders - Denis Villeneuve "Dune Part II", James Mangold "A Complete Unknown", RaMell Ross "Nickel Boys", Steve McQueen "Blitz", Mohammad Rasoulof "The Seed of the Sacred Fig", Walter Salles "I'm Still Here", Pedro Almodovar "The Room Next Door", Pablo Larrain "Maria", Jon M. Chu "Wicked", Malcolm Washington "The Piano Lesson", Tim Fehlbaum "September 5", Jason Reitman "Saturday Night", Robert Eggers "Nosferatu", Greg Kwedar "Sing Sing", Payal Kapadia "All We Imagine as Light", Luca Guadagnino "Queer", Luca Guadagnino "Challengers", Richard Linklater "Hit Man", Coralie Fargeat "The Substance", George Miller "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga", Marielle Heller "Nightbitch", Clint Eastwood "Juror #2"
Commentary - An interesting race is heating up, with a lot of first timers potential making the cut. First, I'll start with the veteran Ridley Scott. Right now the Gladiator II reviews are a bit mixed, but I think he could get a career nod for creating a visual action epic that also has a huge team of supporters. Sean Baker's Anora is still riding high, and he, along with Jacques Audiard, fit in with the director's branch currently. Edward Berger missed the cut for All Quiet on the Western Front (which makes no sense), but I think Conclave could get him into the top five. Finally, Brady Corbet's The Brutalist has taken the Oscar season by storm, and is just the kind of film directors love. Beyond those five, Denis Villeneuve could make up for his part one snub, James Mangold might finally get recognized for the Bob Dylan biopic, RaMell Ross creates a visual splendor with Nickel Boys, and don't discount the foreign voters pulling in Rasoulof, Salles, or Larrain. Steve McQueen has made his most traditional film yet, but is well liked. Pedro Almodovar makes his English language debut, and is a legend. Larrain, Chu, Washington, Fehlbaum, and Eggers have style points. The return of Jason Reitman with Saturday Night is well received, Luca Guadagnino has two options, and don't discount Kapadia, Fargeat, Miller, Heller, or the legendary Clint Eastwood.
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