An eventful and unpredictable awards season reaches its finale on Sunday with the Oscars, Hollywood’s biggest night of the year.
Anticipating who might win is never easy and several races this year are too close to call.
You can make an educated guess about the winners, but the joy of awards season is that nothing is ever 100% certain.
If Academy voters love a particular film or actor, they’re unlikely to be swayed by other awards ceremonies.
That said, previous events in recent weeks, such as the Critics’ Choice, the Golden Globes, Bafta Awards and Actor Awards, provide a valuable indicator of support and momentum.
The Oscar winners are voted for by the members of the Academy – more than 11,000 professionals who work in the film industry.
Here’s a round-up of what the precursor events tell us:
