Though a tough year, film nods show 2020 had quality

Above : The late Chadwick Boseman (holding trumpet) is one of the stars of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which has been nominated by the Producers Guild of America. (Photo: Netflix)

In so many ways, it’s been a weird year. For movie fans in particular, it meant that so many blockbuster films were never released – James Bond fans chiefly among them.

A number of good films did get seen, though, if only through one streaming service or other. And, of course, nothing would stop the film industry’s habit of rewarding what it considers the best of the lot.

So, both the Producers Guild and the Directors Guild have released their nominations for, respectively, the best films of 2020. Both, as we know, are good indicators of what will go on to snare the coveted Academy Awards (the Oscar nominations are due to be announced on Monday).

Here are the PGA nominees for “Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, which were announced on Monday:

“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (Amazon Studios), “Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros.), “ Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Netflix), “Mank” (Netflix), “Minari” (A24), “Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures), “One Night in Miami” (Amazon Studios), “Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features), “Sound of Metal” (Amazon Studios), “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix).

And here are the DGA nominees, which were announced a day later:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”; Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” ; David Fincher, “Mank” ; Aaron Sorkin, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”; Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland.”

Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director: Radha Blank, “The Forty-Year-Old Version,” Fernando Frias de la Parra, “I’m No Longer Here”; Regina King, “One Night in Miami” ; Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” ; Florian Zeller, “The Father.”

Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a Documentary Feature:

Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw, “The Truffle Hunters”; Pippa Erlich & James Reed, “My Octopus Teacher” ; David France, “Welcome to Chechnya”; Amanda Baine & Jesse Moss, “Boys State” ; Benjamin Ree, “The Painter and the Thief.”

So many stories dwell on the perceived snubs. I prefer, at least today, to focus on the positive:

1, the number of PGA nominations given to the two major streaming services, Netflix and Amazon, with three each. Not that long ago it would have been unthinkable that any streaming service would be able to compete with the traditional studios.

2, the number of films nominated that have women directors (the PGA gave nods to Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland,” Regina King for “One Night in Miami” and Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman,” while the DGA also noted Regina King, Radha Blank for “The Forty-Year-Old Version and as co-directors Pippa Erlich for “My Octopus Teacher” and Amanda Baine for “Boys State”).

3, the number of films nominated by both groups that feature protagonists of color (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Minari,” “One Night in Miami,” “Sound of Metal”; “The Forty-Year-Old Version”; “I’m No Longer Here” and, at least partially, “Boys State”).

Yeah, it’s been a tough year. But times seem to be changing. We can always hope that continues for the better.