Oscars 2021 Nominations: Biggest Surprises And The Worst Snubs

It is strange to proclaim that The Mauritanian has been snubbed by the Oscars, particularly considering the lukewarm reception it received from critics, but the film has been a constant if surprising nominee across the awards circuit.

The film, which tells the story of a man wrongfully arrested and tortured for supposed 'terrorist links', even received a shocking win for Jodie Foster at the Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actress. Foster herself could barely contain her surprise when awarded the Golden Globe at what even the most generous critics described as an underdeveloped and thankless role as a defence attorney. Setting a record of her own, Foster will be the first Supporting Actress to win a Golden Globe and not be at least nominated for an Oscar for this performance in over a decade.

Similarly, Tahar Rahim who plays the falsely accused Mohamedou Ould Salahi was occasionally picking up the constantly changing fifth nomination spot for Best Actor but was pipped out by Steven Yeun at the Oscars. While it won't be missed at the ceremony, this unusual fairly by-the-numbers film got further than most on the strength of Rahim - and to some extent Foster's -performance.