Tar - 6 nominations

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett

Best Motion Picture of the Year Todd Field (producer) Alexandra Milchan (producer) Scott Lambert (producer)

Best Achievement in Directing Todd Field

Best Original Screenplay Todd Field

Best Achievement in Cinematography Florian Hoffmeister

Best Achievement in Film Editing Monika Willi

Lydia Tar is possibly the most prominent ethnomusicologist, composer, and the first female chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic.  She is regarded as brilliant, innovative, and incredibly tough.  While guest lecturing at Julliard, she unabashedly challenges and mildly humiliates a BIPOC student who says he can't find any connection to conducting the music of old, white men.  As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Krista, a former female fellow in Lydia's program to nurture young women in music, has committed suicide, and Lydia is accused of sexual misconduct and intentionally ruining said student's future career prospects.  The accusation appears to be true based on how she treats a cello candidate for her own orchestra.  Lydia Tar perceives herself to be above the law, and we come to know her as a sexual predator - a woman who abuses her position of power and prominence.  She is removed from her role as conductor by the Berlin Philharmonic and must face her own choices and behavior - ultimately destroying her own career in the process.

This film is methodical.  It deserved every nomination it got, though I was surprised that it wasn't nominated for Sound. You've never seen Cate Blanchett like this before, and I suspect this role will be considered her pique career performance. This is the kind of cinema experience that sits with you over time.  I loved it, though many of the people in the theater with me didn't, and boy did they feel strongly about expressing that when the lights went up.  I suspect this is the kind of movie that people either really love or really hate and REALLY need to talk about wherever they land.  I rarely say this about any movie, but I thought it was amazing.