And here we are at the end of the road. Oscar Season 2017 ends this weekend and we have our final predictions to present to you. Before we get into the meat of the predictions, here are some introductions written by our contributors. After you finish reading our introductions, head into the predictions and see where we stand and how you compare.

Wesley Lovell: Compared to the low suspense year that was 2016 (which ended up with one major suspenseful conclusion), 2017 has been filled with plenty of back-and-forth races that will only feel clear on the other side. We have a lot of close competitions. In several races, I could have swapped first and second (and even third or fourth) place finishers with one another and still felt I had a solid prediction set. I’ve spent a lot of time writing about these categories. If you want to read my thoughts in more detail, take a look at my article Oscar Guy’s Final Thoughts to know more about what I see as this year’s best bets and runners-up.
Peter J. Patrick: Will this year’s Oscars be a repeat of the spate of previously televised 2017 awards presentations or will the old boy have a few surprises up his sleeve? Although a repeat of last year’s mixed-up envelopes is unlikely to happen again, there could be a last-minute surprise when the Best Picture envelope is opened and the winner turns out to be something few are predicting.
Tripp Burton: With all of the talk of preferential balloting and changing memberships, I feel like there are a lot of pundits out there overthinking a lot of these categories. Or maybe I am just underthinking them and not taking the new Academy into account enough. Either way, Sunday night should have lots of surprises and twists, and I’m curious to see how it all plays out, especially the last envelope!
Thomas La Tourrette: It’s hard to believe that another year has passed and the Oscars are upon us again. It’s been an interesting Oscar season, but they usually are. Starting with the Weinstein scandal and carrying on over months, the #MeToo movement has affected everything from performers to nominations to presenters. The association with Weinstein probably kept Wind River from being in consideration. Talk about past actions kept James Franco from a second nomination and Casey Affleck from being a presenter, something a winner from the previous year basically always does. The scandal with Kevin Spacey meant he was dropped out of a fully-shot film and his scenes were re-shot with Christopher Plummer, who netted a nomination out of it. It will be interesting to see if this fallout continues after this year. One would hope so, but it is far from certain. Some years the Oscars are so set, that one can easily predict the outcome. This year some are certain – actor, actress, animated feature, director, adapted screenplay and score. Some have likely winners, but could go a couple of ways – the supporting acting races being the main ones there along with some of the technical awards. And then there are the categories where it is anyone’s guess – original screenplay, visual effects, song and surprisingly picture. Dunkirk originally looked to be the big winner of the night, but it faded over time, though it will likely clean up in the tech categories. Now it looks to be a tossup between The Shape of Water and Three Billboards, and I really am not certain which will win. It has been awhile since this has happened. With 13 nominations, The Shape of Water would have seemed a shoo-in to win, but one would have said the same about La La Land last year. The Shape of Water will probably win the most awards of the night with four or five, but it will not be a runaway sweep. In an earlier year, Steven Spielberg’s The Post would have been a likely winner, but with the changing demographic of the academy it did not even merit a nomination for best director. It was a good year for films, though perhaps not a great one. I really do not have disagreements with the picture or acting nominees, though I might have hoped that personal favorites I, Tonya or The Big Sick could have gotten more nominations. The weakest category seems to be animated feature, where Coco is the prohibitive favorite. Disney/Pixar films have done well here, and this will not be any different. But the other nominees just were not as strong as one could have hoped. The acting nominees are quite strong, and one can feel a bit of pity for the people who will be passed over for performances that might have won in a different year. I feel fairly confident about my choices, but I usually do, and that does not mean that I am necessarily going to be right. So we will see what Sunday brings. Thanks for reading and enjoy the Oscars!

KEY:

Appears on Four Lists Appears on Three Lists Appears on Two Lists Wesley Lovell Peter Patrick Tripp Burton Thomas LaTourrette

[New] = New Prediction [Return] = Prior Prediction Returning (O) = Original Prediction (R) = Rundown Series (F) = Final Nomination Predictions

Best Picture

• Call Me By Your Name
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk
• Get Out
• Lady Bird (PP F) [New]
• Phantom Thread
• The Post
• The Shape of Water (TB O) (TL O)
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (WL R)

Runners Up

• Get Out (TB R)
• The Shape of Water (WL R)
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PP F) [New](TL O)

Wesley Lovell: The actors in the Academy will probably boost Three Billboards enough to put it on top, but the race is super tight and anything could happen.
Peter J. Patrick: I still think that Three Billboards will get the most first place votes, but with the preferential ballot, the may have to delve deeper to come up with the film that polls 50% plus one. I think that will boost Lady Bird‘s chances more than any of the other films that aren’t Three Billboards.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction. I could also see Three Billboards sneaking in here.
Thomas La Tourrette: This is one of the closest races, and I am not certain who will win. The Shape of Water and Three Billboards have split the major precursor awards so there is not a clear frontrunner. I think it will go to the more romantic Shape of Water, but would not be surprised by an upset by Three Billboards.

Best Animated Feature

• The Boss Baby
• The Breadwinner
• Coco (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
• Ferdinand
• Loving Vincent

Runners Up

• The Breadwinner (WL R) (TB O)
• Loving Vincent (PP O)(TL F) [New]

Wesley Lovell: Coco in the most decisive win in several years.
Peter J. Patrick: Coco will take this easily, but I would just as happy with an upset victory for the lovely Loving Vincent.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction. Still the biggest lock of the night, even after I’ve finally seen The Breadwinner and loved it.
Thomas La Tourrette: Coco should easily win this award.

Best Director

• Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan
• Get Out – Jordan Peele
• Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig
• Phantom Thread – Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Shape of Water – Guillermo Del Toro (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)

Runners Up

• Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan (TL O)
• Get Out – Jordan Peele (WL R) (TB R)
• Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig (PP O)

Wesley Lovell: Guillermo del Toro has all the requisite awards, but the Academy could honor someone else, but not likely.
Peter J. Patrick: It’s rare for Oscar to ignore the DGA winner which gives Guillermo del Toro the best chance of winning. If there is a surprise, I think it will be Greta Gerwig, who would be only the second female winner in the category.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Christopher Nolan finally got a nomination as director, but it looks like he will have to be content with that. Guillermo del Toro will win for directing The Shape of Water.

Best Actor

• Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name
• Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread
• Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
• Gary Oldman – Darkest Hour (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
• Denzel Washington – Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Runners Up

• Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name (WL O) (PP O)(TL O)
• Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread (TB R)

Wesley Lovell: Gary Oldman has the least competition of any of the acting categories.
Peter J. Patrick: Timothée Chalamet gave the year’s best performance but this Oscar has never gone to anyone under 29 and isn’t likely to go to a 22-year-old this year when his main competition is a 59-year-old legend who has never won and who is playing a revered historical figure.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: It would be a huge upset if Gary Oldman does not win this.

Best Actress

• Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water
• Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outiide Ebbing, Missouri (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
• Margot Robbie – I, Tonya
• Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird
• Meryl Streep – The Post

Runners Up

• Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water (TB R) (TL O)
• Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird (WL F) [New] (PP O)

Wesley Lovell: Frances McDormand looks to cruise towards her second Oscar while the others remain Oscarless (except Meryl, of course, but she’s not winning this year).
Peter J. Patrick: Veteran Frances McDormand has dominated the precursors and is likely to be victorious on Oscar night as well, but Saoirse Ronan could well pull off a surprise.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction, but if there is an upset in an acting category, this could be it. Could it be Sally Hawkins or Saoirse Ronan, though?
Thomas La Tourrette: It looks like Frances McDormand will win this one, but she will have stiff competition from Sally Hawkins, Saoirse Ronan, and even Margot Robbie.

Best Supporting Actor

• Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
• Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water
• Christopher Plummer – All the Money in the World
• Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)

Runners Up

• Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project (WL O) (PP R) (TB O) (TL O)

Wesley Lovell: Sam Rockwell has become a solid bet, but stranger things have happened in this category.
Peter J. Patrick: Sam Rockwell is virtually assured of winning this one even if all the other expected wins for Three Billboards come up short. His closest competition is Willem Dafoe in a film that is loathed in some circles as much as it is loved in others.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Sam Rockwell should turn his first Oscar nomination into a win. At one point Willem Dafoe seemed the likely winner, but his fortunes faded and Rockwell’s turn as a racist deputy took over the momentum and that should propel him to the Oscar.

Best Supporting Actress

• Mary J. Blige – Mudbound
• Allison Janney – I, Tonya (WL O) (TB O) (TL O)
• Lesley Manville – Phantom Thread
• Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird (PP O)
• Octavia Spencer – The Shape of Water

Runners Up

• Allison Janney – I, Tonya (PP O)
• Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird (WL O) (TB O) (TL O)

Wesley Lovell: Allison Janney has the lead, but Laurie Metcalf could surprise.
Peter J. Patrick: This one is a fight to the finish between two actresses better known for their TV work than their film work. Will they go for the one who is acting with a capital A or the more subtle one? I’m hoping they’ll go for the latter.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Although Laurie Metcalf was the early frontrunner, it looks like Allison Janney will win for the showier role.

Best Original Screenplay

• The Big Sick
• Get Out (TB R) (TL R)
• Lady Bird (PP F) [New]
• The Shape of Water
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (WL R)

Runners Up

• Get Out (WL R)
• Lady Bird (TL F) [New]
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (PP F) [New] (TB F) [New]

Wesley Lovell: This is almost a proxy of the Best Picture race and who wins here could indicate where Best Picture is going. Three Billboards leads only by a nose over Get Out.
Peter J. Patrick: This one’s a toss-up between Martin McDonough, surprisingly left out of the Best Director nominations, for his controversial screenplay for Three Billboards and Greta Gerwig who could win for her autobiographical Lady Bird as a consolation for losing Best Director.
Tripp Burton: I changed my runner-up from Lady Bird to Three Billboards…, but I still think that Lady Bird is a possible contender. If Three Billboards, Lady Bird, or Get Out wants to win Best Picture, they have to win this award. If The Shape of Water wins here, it will win Best Picture, but it doesn’t need this win to carry over. So this could end up being one of the most important envelopes to be opened.
Thomas La Tourrette: Three Billboards remains a strong competitor and could win, but I think it will come down to either Get Out or Lady Bird. Get Out seems to have tapped into the zeitgeist of the moment, so I will predict it to win.

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Call Me By Your Name (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
• The Disaster Artist
• Logan
• Molly’s Game
• Mudbound

Runners Up

• Molly’s Game (TL R)
• Mudbound (WL F) [New] (PP R) (TB O)

Wesley Lovell: If Coco is the most certain winner of the night, Call Me by Your Name is second most.
Peter J. Patrick: Legendary 89-year-old writer-director should win this easily for his first writing nomination for a film he didn’t direct after losing three times for direction. Mudbound is probably his greatest competition.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction. Still maybe the biggest lock of the evening next to Coco winning Best Animated Feature.
Thomas La Tourrette: James Ivory will easily win this award, his first competitive one. It will be not just for this adaptation of Call Me by Your Name, but for a career directing well respected films.

Best Original Score

• Dunkirk
• Phantom Thread
• The Shape of Water (WL O) (PP R) (TB O) (TL O)
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Runners Up

• Dunkirk (TB O) (TL F) [New]
• Phantom Thread (WL R) (PP R)

Wesley Lovell: The Shape of Water has a pretty solid lead, but Dunkirk and Phantom Thread are not to be underestimated.
Peter J. Patrick: This should be another easy one for The Shape of Water especially since so many of the younger voters think the 1943 Oscar winner “You’ll Never Know” was part of it.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Alexandre Desplat should take home his second Oscar for The Shape of Water. Conceivably the lush score of Phantom Thread or the pulsing beats of Dunkirk could upset, but I do not think that likely.

Best Original Song

• Mighty River – Mudbound
• Mystery of Love – Call Me by Your Name
• Remember Me – Coco (WL O) (PP O)
• Stand Up for Something – Marshall
• This Is Me – The Greatest Showman (TB F) [New] (TL F) [New]

Runners Up

• Remember Me – Coco (TB F) [New] (TL F) [New]
• This Is Me – The Greatest Showman (WL R) (WL R)

Wesley Lovell: I’m not a fan of “Remember Me,” but it looks to have a slight edge. A surprise is to be expected in this category and it could be “This Is Me” or any of the others.
Peter J. Patrick: The “me” songs have it with “Remember Me” likely to prevail over “This Is Me.”
Tripp Burton: I’ve flipped the two front-runners in my mind. While this looked for a while like a lock for “Remember Me,” “This Is Me” has proven to stick in the minds of Hollywood types more than I thought it would, and the song keeps popping up in different places. Either win wouldn’t surprise me.
Thomas La Tourrette: All of the nominees are worthwhile, which is not common in this category. I think it will come down to one of the “Me” songs. I am not certain that “This Is Me” will win, but it certainly has caught on in the world which should help. “Remember Me” was integral to Coco, but it just is not that memorable a song. “This Is Me” should win.

Best Film Editing

• Baby Driver (PP R)
• Dunkirk (WL O) (TB O) (TL O)
• I, Tonya
• The Shape of Water
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Runners Up

• Baby Driver (WL F) [New](TL F) [New]
• Dunkirk (PP R)
• The Shape of Water (TB O)

Wesley Lovell: Dunkirk may be leading, but Baby Driver is hot on its tail.
Peter J. Patrick: Even BAFTA went for Baby Driver over homegrown Dunkirk, so I’m guessing Oscar will do the same.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: War films always do well here, so Dunkirk seems the likeliest winner. The guild award should guarantee the win.

Best Cinematography

• Blade Runner 2049 (WL O) (PP O)(TL O)
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk
• Mudbound (TB O)
• The Shape of Water

Runners Up

• Blade Runner 2049 (TB O)
• The Shape of Water (WL F) [New] (PP R)(TL O)

Wesley Lovell: It is beginning to look like Roger Deakins may finally win an Oscar. The outcry will be extreme if he doesn’t. Of course, a couple of the others could top him, but I am cautiously optimistic.
Peter J. Patrick: Although his name isn’t on the ballot, everyone knows that it was perennial also-ran Roger Deakins who was the d.p. on Blade Runner 2049 which should add to the votes the film would be receiving anyway.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction, but this race is getting closer in my mind. I really wouldn’t be surprised to finally see Roger Deakins finally on the stage.
Thomas La Tourrette: Roger Deakins should finally win an Oscar, on his 14th try, for his beautiful work on Blade Runner. He faces stiff competition, but should be safe in the win unless The Shape of Water starts sweeping the awards.

Best Production Design

• Beauty and the Beast
• Blade Runner 2049
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk
• The Shape of Water (WL O) (PP R) (TB R) (TL R)

Runners Up

• Beauty and the Beast (PP R)
• Blade Runner 2049 (WL R) (TB R) (TL R)

Wesley Lovell: The Shape of Water would feel like a more traditional winner, but Blade Runner 2049 is a very strong competitor.
Peter J. Patrick: This looks like an easy victory for The Shape of Water with Beauty and the Beast its toughest competition.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: The secret lab and the rundown apartments of The Shape of Water will probably win here over the futuristic Blade Runner and the fantastical castle of Beauty and the Beast.

Best Costume Design

• Beauty and the Beast (WL O) (PP R)
• Darkest Hour
• Phantom Thread (TL O)
• The Shape of Water (TB R)
• Victoria & Abdul

Runners Up

• Phantom Thread (WL O) (PP R) (TB R)
• The Shape of Water (TL O)

Wesley Lovell: Some say the subject matter will propel Phantom Thread to a win, but I suspect the more bountiful costumes of Beauty and the Beast will triumph, but I have some doubts.
Peter J. Patrick: This one’s a toss-up between the film with the most beautiful clothes and the one that’s about making clothes. I think they’ll go with the former.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Even though it did not win the Costume Designers Guild award, I think that Phantom Thread will win the Oscar. A film about the fashion industry filled with gorgeous dresses seems designed for this award. If the Academy goes a different route, either the finery of Beauty and the Beast or the more workaday clothes of The Shape of Water will win.

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

• Darkest Hour (WL O) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)
• Victoria & Abdul
• Wonder

Runners Up

• Wonder (WL R) (PP O) (TB O) (TL O)

Wesley Lovell: Darkest Hour will tandem with Best Actor and might even be more certain than that race.
Peter J. Patrick: Darkest Hour is all about the makeup and hairstyling and will be an easy winner.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: The arduous work of turning Gary Oldman into a convincing Winston Churchill should nab an Oscar for the team from Darkest Hour. The work in Wonder was just as good, but I think the more prestigious film will win.

Best Sound Mixing

• Baby Driver
• Blade Runner 2049
• Dunkirk (WL O) (PP F) [New] (TB O) (TL O)
• The Shape of Water
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Runners Up

• Baby Driver (PP F) [New] (TB O)
• Blade Runner 2049 (WL O)
• The Shape of Water (TL O)

Wesley Lovell: War films are beloved by Academy voters, but interesting options present themselves.
Peter J. Patrick: This is another match-up between Baby Driver and Dunkirk, but here I think the more stately sounds of Dunkirk will prevail.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: With a win from the Audio Society, Dunkirk looks likely to take this home.

Best Sound Editing

• Baby Driver
• Blade Runner 2049
• Dunkirk (WL O) (PP F) [New] (TB O) (TL O)
• The Shape of Water
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Runners Up

• Baby Driver (PP F) [New] (TB R)
• Blade Runner 2049 (WL O)
• The Shape of Water (TL F) [New]

Wesley Lovell: Sound Editing goes with Sound Mixing quite often and this year seems to be the same. Or will it be?
Peter J. Patrick: Baby Driver vs. Dunkirk again, with the more complex sound editing of Dunkirk prevailing.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Even though Blade Runner 2049 and War for the Planet of the Apes won more prestigious awards from the sound editors guild, I think that Dunkirk will win this.

Best Visual Effects

• Blade Runner 2049 (WL O) (PP O) (PP R) (TL O)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
• Kong: Skull Island
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi
• War for the Planet of the Apes

Runners Up

• War for the Planet of the Apes (WL O) (PP F) [New] (WL R) (TL O)

Wesley Lovell: While it’s possible War for the Planet of the Apes stages an upset, this looks to be a pretty safe bet for a Blade Runner 2049 victory.
Peter J. Patrick: This one’s a matter of taste. I’ll go with Blade Runner 2049 over War for the Planet of the Apes.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction.
Thomas La Tourrette: Conceivably Apes could win not just for this film but for the series, but none of the others in the series has won this award. I think it will not win yet again as the Academy will honor Blade Runner 2049 for that futuristic world.

Best Foreign Language Film

• A Fantastic Woman (WL O) (PP R) (TB O)
• The Insult (TL F) [New]
• Loveless
• On Body and Soul
• The Square

Runners Up

• A Fantastic Woman (TL F) [New]
• Loveless (WL O) (PP F) [New]
• On Body and Soul (TB R)

Wesley Lovell: A Fantastic Woman is the most predicted, but any of the others have strong partisans, which could put the category into play until the envelope is opened.
Peter J. Patrick: This seems to be headed South America’s way.
Tripp Burton: Nothing has changed since my last prediction. I don’t see this as being nearly as competitive as everyone else seems to.
Thomas La Tourrette: I found the Lebanese courtroom drama The Insult the most riveting of any of the nominees, and I hope it wins. Part history lesson and part personal drama, it was a winner all around.

Best Documentary Feature

• Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
• Faces Places (WL O) (PP F) [New](TL O)
• Icarus
• Last Men in Aleppo
• Strong Island (TB O)

Runners Up

• Icarus (WL F) [New](TL O)
• Last Men in Aleppo (PP R) (TB F) [New]

Wesley Lovell: I’m not sure that any prediction in this category is particularly safe as any one of these has a decent shot at winning.
Peter J. Patrick: The only older nominee than James Ivory is Agnes Varda by a matter of days. Her Faces Places should eke out a win here.
Tripp Burton: I’m sticking with my Strong Island prediction, but the news right before voting opened that some of the filmmakers of Last Men in Aleppo wouldn’t be able to get out of Syria to come to the Oscars could push support in its direction, much like The Salesman last year. This is one of the rare categories where a case could be made for any of the five nominees and is one of the ones I’m anticipating the most Sunday night.
Thomas La Tourrette: Faces Places about two artists collaborating was charming and thought provoking and will probably go on to win. The timely Icarus, about the Russian doping scandal at the Olympics in Sochi is the only other one that feels like it could sneak in for a win.

Best Documentary Short Subject

• Edith + Eddie
• Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 (PP F) [New]
• Heroin(e) (WL O) (TB F) [New] (TL O)
• Knife Skills
• Traffic Stop

Runners Up

• Edith + Eddie (WL R) (TB F) [New]
• Knife Skills (TL F) [New]
• Traffic Stop (PP F) [New]

Wesley Lovell: While I’ve picked based on title, this category is very volatile with plenty of potential winners.
Peter J. Patrick: The Los Angeles Freeway 405 has the home advantage.
Tripp Burton: Since our last predictions in this category I have finally seen all five nominees, and am switching my prediction to Heroin(e). It not only has Netflix behind it, but is both timely and moving.
Thomas La Tourrette: Heroin(e) felt like it could have been a feature length documentary and felt the most well made of the bunch, and will likely win. Knife Skills was an interesting look into prisoner rehabilitation and would also be a worthy winner.

Best Animated Short Film

• Dear Basketball
• Garden Party (WL F) [New]
• Lou (TB R) (TL O)
• Negative Space
• Revolting Rhymes (PP F) [New]

Runners Up

• Dear Basketball (WL F) [New] (PP F) [New]
• Garden Party (TL R)
• Negative Space (TB R)

Wesley Lovell: I avoided picking my favorite, but interestingly, nearly every nominee on this list has a good chance.
Peter J. Patrick: This is likely between the fairy tale-driven Revolting Rhymes and Kobe Bryant’s love letter to basketball. I think the fairy tales will win.
Tripp Burton: I’m still at a loss with this category and have no idea what will win. Nothing will surprise me, but I’m falling back on the safe pick of Pixar.
Thomas La Tourrette: Dear Basketball may well win, but the sweet-natured Lou and the photorealistic Garden Party held my interest much more, so I will hope that one of them wins.

Best Live-Action Short Film

• DeKalb Elementary (WL O) (TB F) [New] (TL F) [New]
• The Eleven O’Clock
• My Nephew Emmett
• The Silent Child
• Watu Wote / All of Us (PP R)

Runners Up

• DeKalb Elementary (PP R)
• My Nephew Emmett (WL R) (TB F) [New]
• The Silent Child (TL F) [New]

Wesley Lovell: Raw emotion should win out, but which of the tense dramas will win, it’s definitely a close race.
Peter J. Patrick: They’re all good, but the expertly crafted Watu Wote/All of Us should prevail, although the immediacy of school violence could give DeKalb Elementary the edge.
Tripp Burton: I’ve changed my prediction, post-Parkland, to DeKalb Elementary, which I think will stick in the memories of voters these past few weeks as the most urgent of these films. My Nephew Emmett is still a very viable contender, though.
Thomas La Tourrette: The two films that stayed most with me are The Silent Child and DeKalb Elementary. Originally I thought that Silent Child would win, as my heart ached for that little girl. However, DeKalb has stayed with me more, and with school shootings being in the news again, it seems the likely winner.