Amour

What’s it about?
Two elderly Parisians whose comfortable bourgeois retirement is torn apart when one of them succumbs to the ravages of old age.

Why’s it nominated?
Every now and then a European release breaks out of the foreign film ghetto and claims a place among the big boys in the best picture category. Michael Haneke’s unflinching look at dementia and devotion is the latest to do so, its five nods a testament to his handling of difficult subject matter and the performances of Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, his veteran French leads.

What are its chances?
Amour is certain to win the foreign language film Oscar and could scoop Haneke another award for its screenplay. If you have a spare note or two you don’t know what to do with, you could do worse than having a punt on 85-year-old Riva, the oldest woman ever to be nominated in the best actress category.