Meet This Year's Best Picture Contenders
Which films from 2019 could contend for a best picture Oscar in early 2020? We have surveyed industry experts, reviewed the reviews, and examined the top performers at this year's major film festivals to come up with a list of 20-ish potential contenders. (They're listed alphabetically in the gallery above.) Of course, the ultimate best picture nominee list will include 10 or fewer titles (likely fewer), so not every one of these films will secure a nomination—but it's likely that all of the eventual nominees will be found in our list. The biggest wildcards are the handful of films that have yet to be screened for anyone; we'll point those out as we get to them.
What is it? A modern-day take on a crime thriller reminiscent of Bonnie & Clyde, with a mostly black cast led by Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith as a couple on the run after a first date goes horribly wrong during a traffic stop.
Why is it a contender? Though they may be brand new to feature filmmaking, both the screenwriter (Emmy winner Lena Waithe, working from a concept by author James Frey) and the director (Grammy-winning music video director and frequent Beyoncé collaborator Melina Matsoukas) have awards pedigrees. The film was selected to open the AFI Fest, where it will make its world premiere on November 14th.
What are its chances? Better than "slim," though we won't know by how much until the film is screened for the first time. Note that while the AFI opening night slot typically goes to seemingly prestigious films, more often than not those films do not wind up with Oscar nominations of any kind, let alone best picture nominations.
When can I see it? November 27th.
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