Oscars 2017: Who Should Win Every Award (And Who Actually Will)

4. Achievement In Directing

Oscars Casey Affleck Denzel Washington
By isabelle VERONESE from ELBEUF, France (11 septembre 2014-deauville-9.jpg) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Nominees: Denis Villeneuve (Arrival), Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

Who Should Win

Damien Chazelle.

Chazelle is a wunderkind director who has found his voice and vision ridiculously quickly. Only 32-years-old, which is a thoroughly depressing fact for anyone remotely close to that age, he's done a remarkable job with La La Land. He's breathed new life into the musical genre, simultaneously looking back and honouring what's come before, while putting a new spin on things and incorporating modern techniques and fantastical elements.

Who Will Win

Damien Chazelle.

Best Picture and Best Director have tended to go different ways in the last few years, certainly more often than they used to, but Chazelle should be a part of La La Land's likely sweep. Barry Jenkins is a worthy contender, Kenneth Lonergan's got a better chance in the screenplay department, Denis Villeneuve is on fire in filmography terms but doesn't have any buzz behind him, and Mel Gibson should just be happy to be nominated. La La Land has 14 nominations, and Chazelle is the creative genius behind it all. This award's his.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.