Nathaniel, over at the Film Experience, has some ideas on who should be, or might be, getting an honorary Oscar this year. He’s offered up a whopping 76 suggestions in various categories. Here are his choices for director:
“Directors James Ivory would be an ideal choice at 88 years of age. He’s still with us but his partner (Ishmael Merchant) has already passed away and together they made movies that Oscar outright adored. It would also be a nod to the LGBT community which the Academy really ought to make nice with given their history. What’s the hold up, honestly? He’d be a PERFECT choice.
Others: Mike Leigh, David Lynch, Werner Herzog, Agnes Varda, Jan Troell, or David Cronenberg. more suggestions follow…”
And Actress:
“Actresses Catherine Deneuve is our most fervent dream these days. She’s still working and still challenging herself and that filmography is gorgeous and long-lasting and has an enviable number of classics in it.
Other great options: Liv Ullmann, Glynis Johns, Jeanne Moreau, Doris Day, Glenn Close, Mia Farrow, Pam Grier (defined a whole subgenre!) or Gong Li (stellar acting and filmography and they NEVER honor Asian actors). But we’d like to take this moment to thank AMPAS profusely for actually forcing us to change this list up about, having recently honored two of our most frequent suggestions: Debbie Reynolds & Maureen O’Hara.”
The rest of his choices are here.