Are the Oscars still 'so white' in 2017 or will the Academy prove otherwise?

Most people are familiar with the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag on Twitter that has been popular for two years now and still is.

Notably, nominations for the Oscars' 2017 iteration are more diverse and inclusive, it still remains to be seen whether the Academy lets go of its racial bias and impartially hands out the awards or will it carry on its legacy of being a white-dominated institution?

Will La La Land still prance around? 

Almost everyone has heard of La La Land and how it has dominated the movie scene and awards over the past five months. Once again, it is expected to win big at this year's Oscars, which are scheduled to start on Sunday, at 6:30 AM Pakistan time.

Contenders in the same category – 'Best Film' – include Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Fences, and Lion, all of which focus on the lives and struggles of non-white people.

Moonlight tells the story of a homosexual young man in his early life, facing opposition and hatred alongside his mother’s indifference and addiction to drugs. On the other hand, Hidden Figures is a story revolving around three black females at NASA and how they strive in a white, men-dominated space.

Fences, a flick showing the 60s era wherein a father's strict but responsible attitude towards his son fails to bloom a healthy relationship, features Denzel Washington, whereas Lion is a tale of an adopted teenager – played by Dev Patel – who goes in search for his Indian birth parents.

The possibility of three out of four wins for blacks artists?

With regard to the 'Actor in a Leading Role' category, Casey Affleck, Andrew Garfield, Ryan Gosling, Viggo Mortensen, and Denzel Washington are the competitors for the gold statue.

Of the five nominees, only one is a black actor – one who has been chosen for his acting in Fences, which is severely overshadowed by other big names. Washington plays the role of a stressed father who is cornered by his accountability, stagnant position in life, and racial segregation. The last Oscar he won was for Training Day in 2002.

On the flip side, Isabelle Huppert, Ruth Negga, Natalie Portman, Emma Stone, and Meryl Streep have been listed as the five choices for 'Actress in a Leading Role'. Once again, the Academy has only selected one black artist – Ruth Negga for Loving – in its nominations.

Negga stars as the wife of a white man, with whom she is in a very loving relationship. They get married after a lot of efforts, and their battle for the basic human right to live as a couple gets attention throughout the country.

Mahershala Ali and Dev Patel are the two non-white actors in the 'Supporting Role' listing, with remaining three being Jeff Bridges, Lucas Hedges, and Michael Shannon. Ali recently won over the audience in Netflix’s Luke Cage with his portrayal of Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes, whereas Patel is famous for his acting in numerous projects, such as Slumdog Millionaire, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Chappie.

The only section where people of colour are more in number than white artists is 'Supporting Actress', in which Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, and Octavia Spencer have been selected. Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams sum up the nominations in this category.

In Fences, Davis is seen as the wife of Washington's character, while Spencer is one of the three mathematicians in Hidden Figures. Harris, one of the British nominees this year, is the abusive mother in Moonlight.

If the unlikely happens, which is that the people of colour win in at least three categories, it will mark the first time in the history of Oscars that they will be in majority in the whole of acting space (Best Actor and Actress and Best Supporting Actor and Actress).

The faces behind Oscar hopefuls

With no other African-American having won the 'Best Director' award in the Oscars' history ever, Barry Jenkins for Moonlight is set to break that record if he wins.

Jenkins' four competitors are Damian Chazelle (La La Land), Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), Denis Villeneuve (Arrival), and Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea). The director has exhibited exemplary work in his latest movie, and we expect him to release more films in future.

How high can La La Land really go?

To date, the biggest number of Oscars bagged by a single film is 11, a record currently held by Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Ben-Hur.

With 14 nominations already secured, La La Land can go to a maximum of 13, since two of its songs have been chosen for the 'Best Song' group.

View the entire list of nominations here.