Oscars 2023: Five things to know about the nominations

Encanto was named best animated feature film at the Oscars last year

The movie world's biggest awards ceremony, the Oscars are back on Sunday 12 March.

The 95th Academy Awards, as it's formally called, will celebrate the best films from the last 12 months.

This week the nominations have just been released so we take a look at what you need to know.

1. Best animated film nominations

One of the top categories to watch out for is best animated feature.

It's a tough category with popular kids films nominated, including with Disney's Turning Red.

Adventure film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is also hoping to get an award, along with Marcel the Shell With Shoes On which follows Marcel the shell looking for his family.

Then you have Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio and The Sea Beast, both of which are on Netflix.

2. Marvel history

Angela Bassett makes history for Marvel films

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actor Angela Bassett has made Marvel history for getting a nomination.

Bassett, who plays Queen Ramonda is up for best supporting actress and it's the first time in Marvel Universe history that they're up for an acting category.

Black Panther was the first and only Marvel film to have won any Oscars back in 2019.

3. No female directors nominated

Famous director Steven Spielberg is nominated for best director, but there are no women in the category

There are no women nominated in the best director category this year.

Although women directors have won for the last two years, there aren't any on this years shortlist at all.

People were annoyed at the all male category, with the organisation Women in Film LA saying: "Once again, Academy voters have shown that they don't value women's voices, shutting us out of the Best Director nominations."

The Academy are an organisation, made up of members who do all different jobs in film, including actors, directors, producers and people who work behind the scenes. They are the ones who shortlist the films and vote for the winners.

The Oscars have been criticised in past years because of the lack of diversity. In 2016 no black or minority actors were nominated which lead to starts boycotting the event and starting the movement called #OscarsSoWhite.

After this the Academy promised to double its female and black ethnic minority members, which they said it met in 2020.

4. Avatar 2 up for best film

Avatar: The Way of the Water is up for best picture

Avatar: The Way of the Water has been nominated for best picture, as well as best production design, best sound and best visual effects.

But its director James Cameron, has missed out on a directing nomination.

The original Avatar missed out on best picture when it was nominated in 2009, so could this year be better?

Sequels don't usually grab best picture at the Oscars, with only two winning the top prize since the awards started in 1929.

5. Taylor Swift didn't get nominated

Something that had everyone talking is Taylor Swift missing out on a nomination.

Swift's song Carolina, from the movie Where the Crawdads Sing, was left on the list for best original song and people are really surprised.

However the song is up for a Grammy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice award, so there is still plenty of other awards Swift could grab.

Rihanna's Lift Me Up song from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever did receive a nomination.