In January, the nominees for the 91st Academy Awards were revealed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The glitziest night of the year will not have a host this time, but the show will go on. This year, Oscars will be aired on February 24. Roma, a Netflix film that looks back at director Alfonso Cuarón’s youth in Mexico and The Favourite, a period dramedy tied for the most nominations with ten each. Black Panther made history to be the first superhero film ever nominated for best picture. Cuarón is the first Latin American director to win the Academy Award for Best Director for 2013’s Gravity. With the latest significant nominations for Roma, the Mexican film director once again slates a chance for the big win—the iconic golden statuette. Oscars 2019 to Not Have a Host! Any Guesses What Happened When Academy Awards 1989 Didn't Have One for The First Time?

With many amazing movies in the list of nominations, observers’ interest is only increasing for who will take the Oscars 2019 home. The Netflix original, Roma has received many accolades, among ten nominations at the 91st Academy Awards that include Best Picture, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

Who is Alfonso Cuarón?

Alfonso Cuarón is a Mexican film director, screenwriter, producer and editor who is best known for his dramas Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001), Roma (2018), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Children of Men (2006) and Gravity (2013). Critics have acclaimed a majority of his work. So far, Cuarón has been nominated for ten Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay for Y Tu Mama Tambien and Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing for Children of Men. Cuarón is also the first Latin American director to win the Academy Award for Best Director, which he achieved for his mind-blowing direction in Gravity. Four Awards Including Best Cinematography and Best Editing To Be Presented During Commercial Break. 

There is a lot to unfold on the 2019 Oscar Award ceremony. Roma is a 2018 drama film. Apart from direction, Cuarón has also produced, shot and co-edited the Netflix original. The film is a semi-autobiographical take on Cuarón’s upbringing in Mexico City. Roma has also won Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, Best Director and Best Picture at the 24th Critics’ Choice Awards and at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards, it won Best Film, Best Film Not in the English Language, Best Direction and Best Cinematography.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 15, 2019 10:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).