Emilia Perez - Jacques Audiard's surreal musical about a Mexican drug lord who transforms into a woman - topped the Golden Globe nominations with 10 nominations on Monday as the race for the Oscars heats up.
The Brutalist, starring Oscar winner Adrien Brody as a Hungarian Jewish architect who survives the Holocaust, is in second place with seven nominations, followed by the papal drama Conclave with six nominations for the Jan. 5 gala.
This is the first major film ceremony to announce its lists and give some clues as to how the awards race is shaping up.
In a year with several strong contenders, there is currently no consensus on which film will ultimately win the Oscars on March 2, the BBC reports.
Although the Globes are the first major stage of the awards season, smaller pre-Globes events such as the Gotham Awards have been held in recent weeks,
British Independent Film Awards and various critics' ceremonies.
Unlike the Baftas and Oscars, the Globes divide their awards by genre, with films competing in the drama or comedy and musical categories. In addition, there are six spots in each acting category.
This means the Globes can nominate a total of 36 acting performances, compared to the Oscars' 20, allowing them to spread the wealth and more easily avoid the perception of overlooking some at the expense of others.
This year's Golden Globe Awards will be held in Los Angeles on January 5.
Unlike last year, when Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" made its way through awards season, several films are now expected to have decent chances at the top prize, making the race more exciting and unpredictable.
Among the contenders is Anora, the story of a New York stripper who falls in love with the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch.
The Brutalist, about a Hungarian architect trying to build a new life in post-World War II America, received similar critical acclaim.
The film Conclave, based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris, features a group of gossiping and scheming cardinals who gather in Rome to elect the new pope.
Several blockbusters also compete. The musical adaptation Wicked, the sci-fi sequel Dune: Part Two and the historical epic Gladiator II could all make a splash this season, thanks in part to their huge box office success.
In the Best Actress category, the comeback is strong this year, with Demi Moore, Angelina Jolie and Marianne Jean-Baptiste expected to return to the awards conversation.
But they face competition from Carla Sofia Gascon, Cynthia Erivo and Mikey Madison's breakout performance.
Other likely contenders include Fernanda Torres, Tilda Swinton, Nicole Kidman, Lily-Rose Depp and Sersha Ronan.
In the Best Actor category, the frontrunners include Adrien Brody, Ralph Fiennes and Colman Domingo.
They could be joined by Hollywood stars Daniel Craig and Timothée Chalamet.
Elsewhere, Jesse Eisenberg and John David Washington could appear, while Sebastian Stan has two nomination possibilities.
Unlike some other Golden Globe award ceremonies, there are television categories in addition to film.
This year that could mean nominations for dramas and limited series like Baby Reindeer, Shogun, The Penguin, Ripley, Slow Horses and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. | BGNES
