94th Academy Awards: 5 things to look forward to at Oscars 2022

On Monday in the early morning, the 94th Academy Awards, Hollywood's annual red-carpet film celebration, will take place. As per reports in Reuters, here are five things to look out for during the ceremony, which will air live on ABC in the United States and on Disney+ Hotstar in India.

Producers are experimenting with new approaches to try to raise viewership after last year's record-low TV ratings. Three women will share hosting duties for the first time: comedians Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes. In another twist, the results of a Twitter poll of top movies and scenes will be disclosed. Before the live show begins, the winners of eight categories, including production design and sound, will be announced. Their speeches will be edited into the broadcast in order to keep the party under three hours.

No streaming service has ever won the Oscar for Best Picture, the highest honour in the film industry. If award watchers are correct, that will change on Sunday. Most observers envisage a two-horse competition between online video pioneer Netflix Inc and Apple TV+, the iPhone maker's streaming service. The Power of the Dog, a Netflix gothic Western, received the most nominations of any film. With wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Producers Guild Awards, Apple's CODA, about a deaf family with a hearing daughter who aspires to pursue a career in music, gained traction.

With "The Power of the Dog," Jane Campion might become only the third woman in the 94-year history of the Academy Awards to win best director. She is the only woman in the category who has been nominated twice. Campion was nominated for her first Academy Award for The Piano in 1993, but lost out to Steven Spielberg and Schindler's List. This year, Spielberg's West Side Story is competing once more. A Nomadland director, Chloe Zhao, won the award last year, so a Campion victory would give women back-to-back victories.

While the overall tone of the event is intended to be joyous, it will mention Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Producers say they aim to provide an escape from the world's problems, but they also believe they must acknowledge the problems. "You don't go into a production like this and not be aware of that," producer Will Packer remarked.

According to award experts, any of the five nominees for best actress could win the award. Jessica Chastain is favoured by some for her portrayal of TV preacher Tammy Faye Bakker. Kristen Stewart, who is most known for her role as the lovelorn vampire Bella in the Twilight franchise, is also nominated for her depiction of Princess Diana in Spencer.

Penelope Cruz's Spanish-language comedy Parallel Mothers, Nicole Kidman's portrayal of Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, and Olivia Colman's The Lost Daughter are among the contenders. The last three actresses have already won an Academy Award.