Asian Nominees to Root For This Oscars Sunday

The 96th Academy Awards are right around the corner, and Asian talent is yet again vying for its top trophies. From Celine Song’s masterful debut “Past Lives” to Hayao Miyazaki’s mystical comeback “The Boy and the Heron,” nominees include Asian filmmakers from all around the globe.

Asian creatives are nominated across 10 of the night’s 23 categories, including heavy hitters Best Picture (“Past Lives”), Cinematography (Matthew Libatique, “Maestro”) and Original Screenplay (“Past Lives”). Other nominations span Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects, Animation and Documentary.  

Regardless of the night’s outcomes, the Oscars will round out a successful awards season for several of 2023’s notable Asian-made and Asian-led projects, including “Past Lives,” “May December,” “The Boy and the Heron” and “BEEF.”  

Read on for this year’s full list of Asian Academy Award nominees, and tune into the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, at 4:00 p.m. PDT on ABC. 


Animated Feature Film
“The Boy and the Heron” | Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki
“Elemental” | Peter Sohn and Denise Ream
“Nimona” | Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary

Cinematography
“Maestro” | Matthew Libatique

Documentary Feature Film
“To Kill a Tiger” | Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim

Documentary Short Film
“Island In Between” | S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien
“Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó” | Sean Wang and Sam Davis

International Feature Film
“Perfect Days” | Japan

Makeup and Hairstyling
“Maestro” | Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell

Best Picture
“Past Lives” |  David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler

This year marks the first time that all nominees campaigning for Best Picture had to meet at least two of four of the Academy’s new representation and inclusion standards

Live Action Short Film
“Red, White and Blue” | Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane

Visual Effects
“Godzilla Minus One” | Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima

Writing (Original Screenplay)
“Past Lives” | Celine Song

Click here for the Academy’s full list of nominees.