Hans Zimmer’s score for Dune won at both the BAFTA Film Awards and the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday (March 13), which puts it in a strong position heading into the 94th annual Academy Awards on March 27.
But here’s something to keep in mind: Germaine Franco’s score for Encanto, which may be Zimmer’s strongest challenger for the Oscar, wasn’t nominated for either the BAFTA or Critics Choice Award. Encanto beat Dune at the SCL Awards, presented by the Society of Composers & Lyricists, on March 8.
The eventual Oscar winner for best original score in each of the past two years — Hildur Guðnadóttir’s Joker and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste’s Soul — won all three of these preliminary awards. Because there has been a lack of unanimity in the walk-up shows this year, the race is seen as close and unsettled.
Billie Eilish and Finneas’ “No Time to Die” from the James Bond film of the same name won best song at the Critics Choice Awards. (The BAFTA Film Awards, also known as the EE British Academy Film Awards, don’t have a song category.) “No Time to Die” beat what is seen as its strongest challenger for the Oscar – Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto.
Last year’s best song winner at the Critics Choice Awards, “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami…, did not go on to win the Oscar, but the four previous Critics Choice winners – “City of Stars” from La La Land, “Remember Me” from Coco, “Shallow” from A Star Is Born and “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman – all did go on to Oscar glory (the Rocketman song tied for the win at the Critics Choice Awards.)
“No Time to Die” has won many other awards, starting with a Grammy for best song written for visual media at the 63rd Grammy Awards in March 2021. It also won at the Golden Globes, the SCL Awards and the Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), produced by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel, won the documentary award at the BAFTA Film Awards. There is no comparable category at the Critics Choice Awards, but the film is nominated for an Oscar for best documentary feature.
The 75th annual BAFTA Film Awards, hosted by Rebel Wilson, were held at Royal Albert Hall in London. The 27th Critics Choice Awards, hosted by Taye Diggs and Nicole Byer, were held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, with some awards presented at the Savoy Hotel in London.
Final-round voting for the 94th annual Academy Awards extends from March 17-22. The winners will be revealed on March 27 when the Oscars return to their usual home, the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, after last year’s pandemic-prompted move to Union Station in Los Angeles. Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes are set to host the show.
Here are the nominees and winners in the music categories at the two awards shows that aired on Sunday:
BAFTAs: original score
Being the Ricardos, Daniel Pemberton
Don’t Look Up, Nicholas Britell
WINNER: Dune, Hans Zimmer
The French Dispatch, Alexandre Desplat
The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood
Critics Choice Awards: best score
Nicholas Britell – Don’t Look Up
Jonny Greenwood – The Power of the Dog
Jonny Greenwood – Spencer
Nathan Johnson – Nightmare Alley
WINNER: Hans Zimmer – Dune
Critics Choice Awards: best song
“Be Alive” – King Richard
“Dos Oruguitas” – Encanto
“Guns Go Bang” – The Harder They Fall
“Just Look Up” – Don’t Look Up
WINNER: “No Time to Die” – No Time to Die
The score from Dune wasn’t the only dual winner on Sunday. Here are other nominees that won at both the BAFTAs and the Critics Choice Awards:
Best picture: The Power of the Dog
Best actor: Will Smith – King Richard
Best supporting actor: Troy Kotsur – CODA
Best supporting actress: Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
Best director: Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
Best costume design: Jenny Beavan – Cruella
Best hair and makeup: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best production design: Patrice Vermette, Zsuzsanna Sipos – Dune
Best foreign language film: Drive My Car
