Scene from Slumdog Millionaire

Oscar speculation is already in the air. Let's put it on hold for a while: the Academy Awards are still four months away. Much nearer are the European Film Awards, which take place in European Cultural Capital Essen on 12 December. Judging by the nominations, the Oscars will be hard pressed to come up with a better line-up of films. Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire (right) is one of six contenders for best film but the fact it's not favourite is an indication of the comparative strength of European cinema. Three Cannes winners, The White Ribbon, A Prophet and Fish Tank, should make the running, but neither the disturbing Swedish vampire thriller Let the Right One In nor a second UK film, The Reader, can be discounted. No film is allowed win more than one major award, which means whoever loses Best Picture may find consolation in other categories. Pedro Almodovar (Broken Embraces) and Lars von Trier (AntiChrist) enter the equation with nominations for best director, but the winner is likely to be whichever of the other directors – Jacques Audiard (A Prophet), Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon), Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) – fails to win best picture. Slumdog Millionaire, The White Ribbon and A Prophet are also up for best screenwriter, along with the enchanting Mid-August. Acting nominations are top grade. My preference for best actor is Tahar Rahim, the mesmerising lead of A Prophet. The best actress nominations range from 17-year-old Katie Jarvis (Fish Tank, left) to the extraordinary 90-year-old Yolande Moreau (Séraphine).


Hollywood studios are cutting back on the speciality divisions responsible for many of the best American independent films in recent years. Daniel Battsek, who oversaw No Country For Old Men, The Queen and Calendar Girls, has stepped down as president of Miramax, where Disney last month axed 70% of staff and reduced the company's annual output from 20 to three films. Fox Searchlight, Focus Films, Sony Pictures Classics and what remains of Miramax are now the only companies left in business. Battsek's departure was followed by the fall of Disney president Mark Zoradi, a close friend of chairman Dick Cook who was ousted last month. Under Zoradi, Disney generated over $1bn a year for 12 consecutive years up to 2006. It seems nothing fails like success.