Los Angeles, CA - March 16, 2021 - Independent films — those made outside the six major Hollywood studios — are strong Oscar® contenders this year with 20 films earning 54 nominations in 17 of 24 total feature-length motion picture categories, the Independent Film & Television Alliance® is pleased to announce.  

IFTA member companies were involved in the production, financing, sales and/or distribution of seven of this year’s independent film nominees, including FilmNation, Protagonist Pictures, Rocket Science, Sierra/Affinity, StudioCanal, and TrustNordisk. Independents are dominating the nominations for the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best International Feature categories.Below is the full list of the independent films that were nominated for the 93rd Academy Awards:
(Please note: * indicates films that involved IFTA member companies)

Best Picture
The Father
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman*
Sound of Metal*
The Trial of the Chicago 7*

Directing
Lee Isaac Chung (Minari)
Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman*)
Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round*)
Chloe Zhao (Nomadland)

Actress in a Leading Role
Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday*)
Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman*)
Frances McDormand (Nomadland)
Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman*)

Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal*)
Anthony Hopkins (The Father)
Steven Yeun (Minari)

Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)
Olivia Colman (The Father)
Yuh-Jung Youn (Minari)

Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7*)
Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night in Miami…)
Paul Raci (Sound of Metal*)

Writing - Original Screenplay
Minari
Promising Young Woman*
Sound of Metal*
The Trial of the Chicago 7*

Writing - Adapted Screenplay
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
The Father
Nomadland
One Night in Miami…

Animated Feature Film
Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon*
Wolfwalkers

Production Design
The Father

Cinematography 
Joshua James Richards (Nomadland)
Phedon Papamichael (The Trial of the Chicago 7*)

Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman*
Sound of Metal*
The Trial of the Chicago 7*

Sound
Sound of Metal*

Music - Original Score
Minari

Music - Original Song
“Lo Sì (Seen)” (The Life Ahead)
“Speak Now” (One Night in Miami...)
“Hear My Voice” (The Trial of the Chicago 7*)

Documentary Feature
Collective
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher

International Feature
Another Round* (Denmark)
Better Days (Hong Kong)
Collective (Romania)
The Man Who Sold His Skin (Tunisia)
Quo Vadis, Aida? (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

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About the Independent Film & Television Alliance:

IFTA is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution, and sales companies. The organization represents the independent sector before governments and international bodies and provides significant entertainment industry services to its members in 20 countries consisting of independent production and distribution companies, sales agents, and financial institutions engaged in production finance. 

Each November, it produces the annual American Film Market®, the world’s largest motion picture event, drawing more than 7,000 industry leaders from 70 countries and leading to more than $1 Billion in distribution and film financing deals.

IFTA also develops and publishes the IFTA® Model Agreements which articulate the standards and key definitions for licensing international rights in motion pictures and television programming and manages the IFTA® Arbitration Tribunal which is a key forum for resolution of disputes arising from international licensing transactions. For more information on IFTA, visit www.IFTA-online.org.