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The 95th Academy Awards are coming up fast. And along with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, the show promises to put the spotlight on some filmmakers and performers who aren’t exactly household names just yet. One such example is Triangle of Sadness, the black comedy from director Ruben Östlund. The film recently secured a surprise three Oscar nominations.

The 2023 Oscar nominations included a ton of surprises. The four acting categories, for instance, were dominated by first-time nominees. And many categories took some left turns that even the most devoted pundits weren’t prepared for, such as the virtual shutting-out of Women Talking and the abundance of love for All Quiet on the Western Front and Elvis.

The year also marked a breakthrough for Asian representation in the acting categories. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu were all nominated for Everything Everywhere All At Once as well as Hong Chau for The Whale. And Angela Bassett’s Best Supporting Actress nod for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever makes hers the first Oscar-nominated performance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

‘Triangle of Sadness’ landed 3 Oscar nods, including Best Picture

But because Triangle of Sadness is among the smallest films this awards season, many didn’t expect to see it getting more than perhaps a single nod. Östlund’s nomination for Best Original Screenplay was the one many pundits thought was a possibility. However, his nod for Best Director – and the film’s spot in the 10-film Best Picture line-up – were major shocks to most fans on Reddit.

“Triangle of Sadness in Picture and Director is a total surprise to me and an absolutely inspired choice,” one fan said in the reaction thread. Another fan echoed the same sentiment: “Out of the awards loop this year, was Triangle of Sadness predicted to do this well? Couldn’t believe it when it got best picture and director!!” “I thought that Triangle of Sadness would be left out of [Best Picture] so I’m pretty relieved,” said one person.

Which of its 3 nominations could ‘Triangle of Sadness’ win?

Film critic Pete Hammond and director Ruben Östlund sit in chairs in front of a screen that displays the "Triangle of Sadness" key art.
Film critic Pete Hammond and director Ruben Östlund at a Q & A for “Triangle of Sadness” I Amanda Edwards via Getty Images
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Considering how surprising its nominations in Best Director and Best Picture are, Triangle of Sadness isn’t likely to win either of those categories. Rather, Best Director will likely go to either Everything Everywhere All At Once filmmaking duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert or The Fabelmans’ Steven Spielberg. Likewise, either one of those two films — or perhaps The Banshees of Inisherin — is tipped for Best Picture.

But Triangle of Sadness does have a fighting chance in Best Original Screenplay. In that category, it is nominated against The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Fabelmans, and TÁR. That’s stiff competition, but if the academy wants to reward Östlund’s work, that would be the best place to do it.

The 95th Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

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