2011 OSCARS BACKGROUND: Nominees for best picture

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide

Ten films are nominated for the best picture Oscar.

Black Swan: Five Oscar nominations for best picture, best director, best actress, best cinematography and best film editing.
A harrowing psycho-sexual thriller in which Natalie Portman plays a young prima ballerina on the edge of madness. Directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler), the film offers a glaring insight into the pain and pressure at the top of the ballet world. Made for 13 million dollars, the film has racked up more than 100 million dollars at the box office.

The Fighter: Seven Oscar nominations including best picture, best director, best supporting actor and best supporting actress.
A gritty boxing drama that stars Mark Wahlberg as a working class fighter who battles his way to a world title. Based on the true story of Boston boxer ‘Irish’ Micky Ward, the film track’s Ward’s career as he suffers from the influence of a meddling family.

Inception: Eight Oscar nominations including best picture, best original screenplay, best original score and best cinematography.
An ambitious science-fiction film costing 160 million dollars to make and a further 100 million dollars to advertise, Inception is the creation of writer/director/producer Christopher Nolan. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a corporate spy who steals secrets from the unconscious minds of his targets. The film has earned more than 800 million dollars at the box office, one of the most successful films of the year.

The Kids Are All Right: Four nominations for best picture, best actress, best supporting actor and best original screenplay.
Winner of the Golden Globe for best comedy, The Kids Are All Right tells the story of a married lesbian couple played by Annette Benning and Julianne Moore, whose kids track down their biological father, only for one of the mothers to embark on an affair with the middle- aged bohemian. A breakout hit from last year’s Sundance Film Festival the film was made for just 4 million dollars, and has earned some 30 million dollars at the box office.

The King’s Speech: 12 Oscar nominations including including best picture, best actor, best director, original screenplay, supporting actress and supporting actor.
A triumphant royal drama starring Colin Firth as a reluctant King George VI who overcomes his stutter to lead his nation as it heads into war against the Nazis. The hot favourite of the awards season, it has already won numerous critics’ awards as well as best picture awards from Hollywood’s three leading trade guilds. Made for 15 million dollars, it has earned more than 120 million dollars at the box office.

127 Hours: Six Oscar nominations including best picture, best actor, best adapted screenplay, best original score and best film editing.
Made by Danny Boyle, director of Slumdog Millionaire, the film is a dramatization of the ordeal of mountain climber Aron Ralston, who was forced to amputate his own arm when he became trapped by a boulder in a remote Utah canyon. Starring James Franco, the 18- million-dollar film earned 23 million dollars at the box office.

The Social Network: Eight Oscar nominations including best picture, best actor, best director, best adapted screenplay and best original score.
A critical and commercial hit that tracks the origins of social networking site Facebook and the motivations of its young creator, Mark Zuckerberg, as played by Jesse Eisenberg. Directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, the 40-million-dollar film dominated the Golden Globes and has earned more than 213 million dollars at the worldwide box office.

Toy Story 3: Five Oscar nominations including best picture, best animated feature, best adapted screenplay, best original song and best sound editing.
Only the third animated film in history to be nominated for a best picture Oscar, Toy Story 3 relates the adventures of the old group of toys led by Woody and Buzz Lightyear as they contend with their owner leaving for college. Made for a budget of some 200 million dollars, the film has grossed more than 1 billion dollars in global ticket sales.

True Grit: Nominated for 10 Oscars including best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, best actor and supporting actress.
Written and directed by the Coen brothers, True Grit stars Jeff Bridges as rough gunslinger Rooster Cogburn, hired by a teenage girl (Hailee Steinfeld) to find the man who killed her father. Made for 38 million dollars, the film has grossed more than 174 million dollars worldwide.

Winter’s Bone: Four Oscar nominations including best picture, best adapted screenplay, best actress and best supporting actor.
An independent drama about the scourge of methamphetamines and the effect on families, the film won the grand jury prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by Debra Granik and starring Jennifer Lawrence, the 2-million-dollar film has earned some 7.5 million dollars at the box office.

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The 83rd Academy Awards Oscar Nominations

Nominees for Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for the 83rd Academy Awards pose at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills: (L-R) Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Kidman and Annette Bening.