The most populated and the second most populated countries of the world India and China have nothing to put up a fight for at the Oscars 2012. India’s only hope that was Sohan Roy’s “DAM 999″ failed to secure a place in the final nomination list of the coveted Academy Awards’ 84th edition. Even China’s only hope “The Flowers of War” failed to make it to the short list of films.

From South Asia, though, a Pakistani movie, though, has won nominations for the coveted awards. Pakistani journalist and documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s “Saving Face” won an Oscar nomination under the category ‘Best Documentary, Short Subject’. Saving Face is the story of two women from Southern Punjab who are victims of acid violence.

Roy’s “DAM 999″, a $10 million film, is about a cracking dam built during colonial rule. It revolves around nine characters and the central edifice – the pressure-mounted dam. The movie could have featured in the best picture, best original song and best original score categories. However, DAM 999 had a fair share of controversy in India due to it being based on the Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala.

India’s official entry to Oscars Salim Ahamed’s Adaminte Makan Abu also failed to make it to the final shortlist in the Foreign language category announced last week. Ahamed’s film is a captivating tale of a poor perfume seller’s struggle to go to Haj. It had won four National Awards, including the best film, last year.

China’s “The Flowers of War” is a movie about Japan’s brutal occupation of Nanjing in 1937 starring Christian Bale. It expected a nomination in the foreign-language film category at the Academy Awards. Made with a budget of nearly US$100 million, “Flowers” is the most expensive film ever produced in China.

Now the contenders in the best picture category include – “The Artist”, Hugo”, “The Descendants”, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”, “The Help”, “Midnight in Paris”, ” Moneyball”, “The Tree of Life” and “War Horse”.

The first silent movie to be nominated for Oscars, “The Artist” has 10 Oscar nominations, including best picture, director and screenplay. “Hugo” has 11 nominations.

In the short film category 15 short films earned Oscar nominations from directors, a few of whom are first-time directors. The short film Oscars will be given in three categories.

The Oscar presentation ceremony will take place Feb 26 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.

Complete list of nominations:

Best picture

War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best director

Michel Hazavanicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best actor in a leading role

Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best actress in a leading role

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best actor in a supporting role

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best actress in a supporting role

Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best original Screenplay

The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

Best adapted screenplay

The Descendants
Hugo
Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best foreign language film

Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Best animated film

A Cat in Paris
Chico And Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Rango
Puss in Boots

Art direction

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

Cinematography

The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Costume design

Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Documentary feature

Hell and Back Again
If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Documentary short subject

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsumani and the Cherry Blossom

Film editing

The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball

Sound editing

Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Sound mixing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Visual effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Make up

Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
The Iron Lady

Music (original score)

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Music (original song)

The Muppets
Rio

Short film (animated)

Dimanche / Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Short film (live action)

Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

 

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