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Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller "Sinners" has made Oscars history after picking up 16 Academy Award nominations, setting a new benchmark for the awards race while also putting a spotlight on a separate, politically charged contender tied to the story of a Palestinian child killed in Gaza.
Announced on Jan. 22, 2026, "Sinners" overtook the previous nominations record of 14, previously shared by three films, and it also pulled ahead of its nearest rival, Leonardo DiCaprio’s thriller "One Battle After Another," which came away with 13 nominations.
The film is in the running for major categories, including Best Picture and Best Director, and it has also shown up strongly in the acting races. Michael B. Jordan stars as twin brothers who set up a blues club in 1930s Mississippi, a setting where they end up facing racism as well as vampires. The Academy also lined the film up for its inaugural casting prize, a newly introduced category recognizing casting work.
In the supporting categories, "Sinners" secured nominations for British actor Delroy Lindo and British-Nigerian actor Wunmi Mosaku, adding to a broad list of nominations that helped it stand out as this year’s most heavily recognized title. The film has grossed $368 million worldwide, underscoring its commercial reach alongside its awards momentum.
Alongside "Sinners," the nominations also brought in "The Voice of Hind Rajab," a film centered on the final moments of 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was killed in Israeli fire in Gaza. The production, directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, earned an Academy Award nomination in the Best International Feature Film category.
The film is tied to events from Jan. 29, 2024, when Hind was trapped in her family car in Gaza City after it came under Israeli army fire and was later found dead following nearly two weeks of uncertainty. According to the Palestine Red Crescent, she had been traveling with family members, including her 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamadeh, while trying to flee fighting in northern Gaza, when the car came under Israeli fire.
The story is built around the real audio recording of Hind’s final phone call to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, in which she pleaded for help. After her death, the recording spread widely on social media, setting off international outrage and renewed calls for justice. Two paramedics who tried to reach Hind were also killed when their ambulance was hit.
Israel’s army denied responsibility for the deaths, while a later investigation by the London-based research group Forensic Architecture concluded that hundreds of bullets struck the car and that an Israeli tank was positioned at close range.
"The Voice of Hind Rajab" premiered in September 2025 at the Venice International Film Festival, drawing broad international attention before going on to secure its Oscar nomination.
Oscar winners are set to be announced in Hollywood on March 15.
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