The 98th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. This year, the film “The Sinners” leads with the most nominations, while no films from Ukrainian directors made the final list. In Ukraine, the event will be exclusively broadcast by Suspilne Culture.
The Oscars, awarded annually since 1929 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are considered the highest honor in filmmaking. The iconic trophy is a golden statuette, which has become synonymous with the awards.
Viewing Information
The ceremony will be aired live on ABC and Hulu, with the following schedule in Kyiv time:
- 11:00 PM – Pre-show begins
- 12:30 AM – Red carpet coverage
- 1:00 AM – Award ceremony starts
Viewers will enjoy a professional Ukrainian-language translation, along with sign language interpretation.
Host Details
Comedian and television host Conan O’Brien will return as the ceremony’s host for the second consecutive year. In Ukraine, actor and theater director Oleksiy Hnatkovskyi will provide commentary and lead the pre-show starting at 11:00 PM.
Nominees Overview
This year, the Academy has implemented new rules requiring all members to view every nominated film in each category before voting in the final round.
- Oscar 2026: Complete List of Nominees
- Main Competitors and Favorites: Predictions for Oscar 2026
The film “The Sinners” has set a record with 16 nominations, surpassing the previous record held by three films with 14 nominations each: “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.”
Ukraine at the Oscars
Ukrainian director Myroslav Chernov’s film “2000 Meters to Andriivka” did not make the nominee list this year. Other Ukrainian-related entries, including the animated short “I Died in Irpin” by Anastasia Falileieva and the British film “Rock, Paper, Scissors” featuring Ukrainian actors, also did not qualify for final nominations.
However, a notable nominee is the documentary short “Armed Only With A Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud,” which chronicles the life of American journalist Brent Renaud, who was killed in Irpin during a Russian shelling in 2022.
Controversial Nominations
The documentary film “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” has drawn criticism among Ukrainians. It focuses on Pavel Talankin, a teacher documenting the actions of the Putin administration in a mining town near the Ural Mountains during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Additionally, the animated short film category includes “Three Sisters” by Russian director Konstantin Bronzit, a previous recipient of the Russian President’s award in 2016.
New Categories and Notable Nominees
This year introduces a new category for “Best Casting,” raising the total number of competitive categories at the Oscars to 24.
Timothée Chalamet has become the youngest actor to receive three nominations for Best Actor since Marlon Brando. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura is the first from his country to be nominated for Best Actor, while Stellan Skarsgård made history as the first supporting actor nominated for a performance in a non-English international film.
Actress Amy Madigan now holds the record for the longest gap between nominations, first recognized in 1985 and nominated again this year for her role in “The Weapon.” Ruth Carter has achieved the most nominations for a Black woman in any category, receiving her fifth nomination for Best Costume Design.
Chloé Zhao has made history as the second woman, after Jane Campion, to receive multiple nominations for Best Director, having previously won the award.
Ceremony Highlights
Organizers have announced that only two of the five nominated songs will be performed during the ceremony: “Golden” from the animated film “Cape Demon Hunters” and “I Lied to You” from “The Sinners.” This decision was made due to time constraints and changes in the show’s structure.
Presenters
Last year’s winners, including Mikey Madison, Adrien Brody, Zoe Saldana, and Kieran Culkin, will present the acting awards. Oscar winners Javier Bardem, Anne Hathaway, Robert Downey Jr., and Gwyneth Paltrow will also take the stage, joined by past nominees such as Paul Mescal, Demi Moore, and Kumail Nanjiani. Additionally, actors without prior nominations, including Will Arnett, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Chris Evans, Chase Infinity, and Maya Rudolph, will also present awards.
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The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15, 2026, featuring a record number of nominations for 'The Sinners.' Ukrainian films were notably absent from the nominee list, sparking discussions about representation.