wind direction and we will lose the easterly wind and pick a this is bbc news. a the headlines: the european union says a maritime aid corridorfrom cyprus to gaza could begin operating in the coming hours. the first vessel is being loaded. but the us has warned a temporary dock in gaza could take 60 days to build. thousands of people march in central london in support of gaza — the tenth major protest in the city since the october 7th attacks. the urgent hunt for nearly 300 school children abducted by gunmen in nigeria continues — the governor of kaduna state says at least 28 have managed to escape. a london fertility clinic has its operating licence suspended after "significant concerns" were raised over errors in the freezing of embryos. the health 0mbudsman says cancer patients in england are being put at risk because the health service is overstretched and understaffed. and new life is springing from the sycamore gap tree.

seedlings from the famously felled tree are starting to grow. i have a full bulletin at three o'clock. but now... talking movies: 0scars preview special. hello from hollywood. i'm tom brook, and welcome to our special talking movies preview of the 96th annual academy awards. in today's programme... this is a matter of life and death. just how many 0scar trophies do we think 0ppenheimer will win? oppenheimer is definitely going to win at least seven oscars, if not more. and why some new mexicans won't be

rejoicing on oscars night. the oppenheimer movie winning a trove of awards will not be - a celebration for me. and how the academy awards is becoming increasingly global, helping germany become a strong contender this year. i really appreciate this opening of the academy that is taking place towards films from other countries. also, the solemn, unsettling documentary from ukraine that looks set to win a trophy. plus, i'll be trying to predict who will be taking home the top oscar prizes. there are a couple of very close races. all that and more in this special talking movies preview of the academy awards. hollywood is bracing for its biggest night of the year, but there's still great uncertainty in the film industry. we haven't yet returned to pre—pandemic normality — perhaps we never will. but what does bring great reassurance this year is that the ten best picture

nominees are all very fine pictures and one or two of them are truly brilliant. the presence of two big blockbusters, barbie and oppenheimer, in the oscars contest this year, has raised the profile of the event. on hollywood boulevard, where the ceremony takes place, movie fans confirm having these blockbusters in the race should boost the ratings of the telecast around the world. well, oppenheimer and barbie have made billions and billions of people have seen them globally, so that enhances the academy awards tenfold. i think oppenheimer and barbie have been hugely impactful on film this year, and i'm really excited to see how they do at the oscars. hello? and what about the ceremony itself? hey, man, what's up? to the oscars... jimmy kimmel will be back to host for a fourth time. he's already starred in this barbie—themed commercial to promote the awards. hey, bella. hi. with odds—makers confidently predicting that multiple trophies

will go to oppenheimer, the biggest drama of the night will probably come when the winner in the best actress category is announced. emma stone, who starred in poor things, is seen as running neck—and—neck with lily gladstone for her role in killers of the flower moon. by far the closest race, it's hard to call. emma stone won the comedy globe and she won the bafta. but on the home turf for poor things. i would say that lily gladstone could be the winner because the academy voters can't resist the history making aspect of this and giving killers of the flower moon at least one award so that martin scorsese, who they adore, doesn't go home completely empty handed. but lily gladstone would be the first native american actress to win at the oscars. and this year, when you take a look at the breadth of the individuals nominated, the academy does seem to have made some progress in its efforts towards greater diversity. nominees include many women,

despite some notable snubs, african americans and asian talent and openly gay actors playing openly gay real life people. lily gladstone believes change is afoot in the academy. times absolutely are changing, people's perspectives are broadening. the academy has gotten much more diverse in the last ten, 20 years. singing. and that greater diversity is going to yield some compelling performances on oscars night. osage nation singer—songwriter scott george is the first native american to earn a best original song oscar nomination for wahzhazhe from killers of the flower moon, which will be performed on the oscars telecast. he sees their presence at the academy awards as very significant. just to be able to sing it in front of millions of people, to me will solidify the fact that all indigenous people, we're still here and we still have what we've always had

for thousands of years. now you get to see it. i've nothing against the movie oppenheimer, but i'm not entirely happy about its apparent oscars night invincibility. i want the evening to be interesting. i want there to be an upset. anyway, everyone tells me that it's going to win for best picture and that christopher nolan will win for best director and it'll probably pick up three or four other trophies. alan maloney has been taking a look at the oscars night front runner. alan maloney: in the run up to the academy awards with victories at the golden globes, the directors guild and the baftas, it feels as if we've been witnessing christopher nolan's path to oscar glory. this eight—time oscar nominee may finally win. i don't know if we can be trusted with such a weapon. but we have no choice. few would have predicted his three

hour historical epic about a physicist to be one of the most viewed and talked about films of the past 12 months. but nolan is a rare breed in the hollywood studio system. he makes the movies that he wants to make, how he wants to make them. we imagine a future. and our imaginings horrify us. he always felt that bringing the story of the so—called father of the atomic bomb to the big screen would be compelling. oppenheimer's story. it's the most dramatic story i've ever encountered. there are many, many aspects to what makes it so compelling. ijust thought to take the audience there, to be there in that room with these people as they had to make these horrifying decisions that have defined the world we now live in. what a remarkable, dramatic event to bring the audience to. his films, even the ones that have left some audiences confused, have been tremendously successful at the box office, together earning over $6 billion. oppenheimer was viewed

as nolan's biggest risk yet — a delicate subject matter with a sprawling cast of actors, opening on the same weekend as the much heralded barbie film. # watch me dance...#. but its award season success has only seen his reputation rise further. i've read two of chris�* scripts now. i've read interstellar and oppenheimer, and in each case i... they left me devastated at the end of them. and in each case i went, "how the hell is he going to do this?" like, i really have no idea. i'm really lucky that i'm going to be able to be there to watch because i don't know. and no—one else could pull it off. no. you know, he is such he's such a giant in our industry- and he loves the audience, - gives so much credit to the audience to keep up and be able - to metabolise these big ideas. for nolan himself, it was important to create a film that would resonate not just with critics, but with a mass audience. how important was it to make this film an entertaining film? it's notjust a dry kind of biopic.

how important was it to bring that kind of level of entertainment for an audience to you? well, entertainment is a tricky word to use on the face of it, with such dark subject matter. but entertainment is just about engagement. you know, you can be entertained by a horror story the same way as by a comedy. we wanted to engage the audience. i wanted it to race along. you're the man who gave them the power to destroy themselves. oppenheimer is that rare film — a critically lauded movie sweeping the award season that has actually been seen by a large audience. and the world is not prepared. odds—makers in los angeles are predicting that oppenheimer will win multiple trophies on oscar night. and to stealjames cameron's words, it would make nolan "the king of the world". if that does happen, it will cement his reputation as one of the world's most unique and powerfulfilm—makers. if you polled academy voters, you would probably find that

many of them definitely do view oppenheimer as a true film masterpiece. but there are individuals here in the united states who are detractors, who don't endorse the film, particularly in the state of new mexico. why would we go to the middle of nowhere, for who knows how long? christopher nolan's oppenheimer gives the impression that trinity, the world's first atomic bomb test, took place in a deserted, uninhabited new mexico landscape. i became a monster... ..as a result of the atomic bomb. but now comes a documentary being shown on the film festival circuit called first we bombed new mexico, which makes the charge that thousands were living there and exposed to radioactive fallout. now i am to come death, the destroyer of worlds. i we're countering the pop culture

narrative of oppenheimer that this incredible scientific, devastating experience was detonated in an uninhabited area. it was very much inhabited, and they have never recovered. they are still suffering from the cancers and the loss — including financial loss of trying to care for loved ones, with no health care. thank you. you're giving voice to thousands of individuals who unwittingly i sacrificed their health as our nation pursued its national security. ms cordova. the central character in lois lipman�*s film is activist tina cordova, who's led a grassroots movement to campaign on behalf of new mexico's downwinders — the term for those exposed to fallout because they lived downwind from the nuclear test site. there were thousands of people living in a 50 mile radius to the test site. we've identified ranching families that lived as close as 12 miles. tina cordova is miffed

that the oppenheimer movie didn't show that the region where the test took place was inhabited and that people in new mexico were exposed to radioactive fallout with consequences to this day. we've received a lot of attention, absolutely, as a result of oppenheimer. we're grateful that they have educated the public, but it doesn't go far enough. honestly. when i was 39—years—old, i was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. my sister has had cancer. my mother is being followed for a tumor. and we know that thyroid cancer is related to being overexposed to radiation, but you certainly don't see that in the oppenheimer movie. so the oppenheimer movie winning a trove of awards will not be a celebration for me. every festival, we get more screenings and we win more awards... lois lippman spent several years working on first we bombed new mexico. she hopes the film can raise awareness and help extend legislation that could bring compensation to new mexico's downwinders.

the impact and the damage that this trinity bomb caused on the people of new mexico and further — primarily hispanic and native american citizens, us citizens. i want this story that has been minimised and denied to be integrated within us history. the documentary advances the view that the plight of the downwinders has long been ignored by the us government. now, tina cordova claims a hollywood movie is doing the same thing. she knows the oppenheimer film, had it mentioned the downwinders' plight, could have helped her campaign. they're getting so much acclaim. it would be fantastic if theyjoined with us to say, now that you know the oppenheimer history, you should also know the history of the people of new mexico who were so horribly harmed as a result of being over—exposed to radiation by the oppenheimer bomb. we informed christopher nolan's publicist and agent

of tina cordova's request that they speak out and acknowledge the suffering caused by the atomic bomb detonation in new mexico. but so far, we have not received a response. a few years ago, the membership of the academy was largely white, male and older and largely centered here in los angeles. well, that has changed. it's now more inclusive and more global and populated by members who are perhaps more willing to embrace films from other cultures and countries. that perhaps explains why germany has such a strong showing in this year's oscars race, as emma jones now explains. emmajones: germany is certainly represented in this year's oscar race for its films, directors and actors. sandra huller is one of germany's most well known actresses finally coming to the attention of a mainstream

international audience. i need you to be precise. tell me everything about the day he died. look... this year, she's nominated for a best actress academy award, though the film she's honored for — anatomy of a fall — is french and huller acts in both french and english. i did not kill him. that's not the point. she plays a novelist who may or may not have pushed her husband to his death. sometimes a couple is kind of a chaos and everybody is lost, no? not surprisingly, she's pleased by the academy award nomination. yes, it feels very nice on one level and at the same time, it's very intimidating. there are a lot of things going on right now that i have to process a little bit, yeah, but i'm very happy. that's not the only film huller�*s is in that's headed to the oscars. in the zone of interest, she gives a chilling performance as hedwig, the wife of auschwitz commander rudolf hoss.

in recent times, oscar voters have become more international and more diverse. and huller thinks that last year's actors' and writers' strike, when for months so many hollywood movies couldn't be promoted, may have given these films the chance to make an impact. we had the chance to promote our films for a long time when americans couldn't, so...there is no magic there going on. it's a practical thing, i think. but also, i really appreciate this opening of the academy that is taking place towards films from other countries. there's no doubt that the legacy of two world wars and the cold war has made for some powerful film—making from germany. but the country also scored another oscar nomination this year with a film that looks at some of the contemporary issues the country is facing. and it's made by a ao—year—old film—maker living here in berlin.

they scream. this is the teachers' lounge by german—turkish director ilker catak, shortlisted for best international film. it's a story set in school, where accusations about stealing within the school take on a life of their own and start to overwhelm a teacher. first and foremost, the film is about truth and how truth has become something very elusive. it's about how this whole notion of alternative facts, of how our debate culture has shifted, of how people just want to be right, instead of really listening to each other. # oh, it's such a perfect day...#. if the teachers' lounge represents new german film—making, one of the country's most famous veteran film—makers, wim wenders, is competing against it in the same category, with a japanese movie he directed about a tokyo toilet cleaner, perfect days. german films are travelling. the question will be on oscar night — just how far?

we live in tumultuous times, and i, for one, hope that the oscar night speeches from the winners are not just self—serving, self—involved thank yous to all kinds of people that probably none of us have ever heard of. it would be great to get some intelligent thoughts, words of wisdom, contemplations on how we are as human beings, and perhaps just some great humor. but the problems of the real world will no doubt intrude on oscars night when the winner is announced for the best documentary feature category. that will probably go to a very solemn and rather unsettling picture from ukraine. 39—year—old mstyslav chernov could bring ukraine an oscars night victory. his film, 20 days in mariupol, is widely considered to be the favorite to take home the best documentary feature trophy. someone once told me, wars don't start with explosions. they start with silence.

20 days in mariupol is not easy to watch. it is not a sanitized view of war. it is footage shot by mstyslav chernov, a video journalist for the associated press, with his colleagues in mariupol in 2022, as russian forces began to encircle the ukrainian port city. this film tells the story of the first 20 days of 86 days' siege of mariupol. those 20 days became a symbol of how russia, attacked ukraine. how russia killed the civilians. what tactics russia uses to take every single city right now in ukraine. 20 days in mariupol is, in many ways, the story of a city on the edge, in its death throes. he captures the citizens of mariupol in the worst moments of their lives. he seemed to have the trust of those whose tragedy he was documenting. how did you decide what images to include in the documentary,

because some of the images are unbelievably difficult to watch, aren't they? it is difficult to watch, but there is a fine balance and it was one of the most challenging parts of making this film. how do you treat a story? how do you treat the visuals so that you pay respects to victims? at the same time, how to not desanitize the footage, how to keep the audience invested and feeling what it's really like to be there. academy members may also have been inclined to vote for the film because they see it as a way of supporting ukraine at a time when it's been experiencing setbacks on the battlefield and in its efforts to get military aid from the us. mstyslav chernov says he wants his documentary to show the world the suffering and destruction as the war in ukraine wages on. the oscar nomination has certainly been bringing attention

to his country's plight. as critical today as it was when he first began documenting the siege of mariupol two years ago. so now it's time for me to stick my neck out as i try to predict what will happen on oscars night. she's an experiment. best adapted screenplay is hard to call. i'd like poor things to take that prize. best original screenplay probably the cleverly constructed anatomy of a fall. i did not kill him. but that's not the point. best international feature film, that has to go to the very impressive british historical drama, the zone of interest. the best supporting actress, that will be awarded to the talented da'vine joy randolph for her compelling presence in the holdovers. you don't tell a boy that's been left behind at christmas that nobody wants him. what's wrong with you? truman needs to know what's next. best supporting actor seems destined

for robert downeer for his role in oppenheimer. why did you come here? best actress, lily gladstone, i hope, in killers of the flower moon, but if she doesn't win... i am bella baxter. ..it�*ll go to emma stone — quite wondrous in poor things. she screams. the world will remember this day. best actor, everyone says cillian murphy in oppenheimer. but i'm going to go for paul giamatti for his much loved performance in the holdovers. i find the world a bitter and complicated place and it seems to feel the same way about me. best director, yes, christopher nolan will take home that trophy for oppenheimer. and like everyone else in los angeles, talking movies is also predicting that the most coveted oscars prize of all — that of best picture — will go to... ..no surprise, oppenheimer. well, that brings our special oscars preview edition of talking movies to a close. i hope you've enjoyed the programme.

please remember tojoin me and my colleague peter bowes live on bbc news on oscars night, when we'll be commenting live on the results as they come in. one of the expected highlights of the evening will be ryan gosling from barbie performing the song i'mjust ken. so, it's goodbye from hollywood and take it away, ryan. # cos i'm just ken. # anywhere else i'd be a ten. # is it my destiny to live and die a life of blond fragility? # i'm just ken. # where i see love, she sees a friend. # what will it take for her to see the man # behind # behind the tan and fight for me? # i'm just ken (and i'm enough. # and i'm great at doing stuff. # so, hey, check me out, yeah, i'm just ken. # baby, i'mjust ken. #

good afternoon. it is not the most inspiring weekend of weather overall. there are some brighter spots. this is how it looked earlier on for a weather watcher in kent. but for many more places it is pretty cloudy. we've got some rain around. it's all driven by a big area of low pressure to the south of us. this swirl of cloud on the satellite picture. we're on the northern flank of the low and that means we've got quite a strong easterly winds blowing across the uk today. where you're exposed to that wind, particularly for some of these north sea coast where it stays cloudy, it is going to feel decidedly cool. there'll be some bits and pieces of rain in the mix, perhaps most especially across the south west of england.

by the end of the afternoon. limited, bright or sunny spells, generally quite a lot of cloud. and as we head through this evening and tonight, the winds will ease a little bit across the south, but it will stay blustery across the northern half of the uk, will see extensive cloud. we'll see some outbreaks of slightly heavier rain pushing northwards across england and wales and generally speaking, temperatures holding between five and nine degrees. now tomorrow, low pressure will still be with us but this low tending to weaken. so the winds easing across southern parts does stay blustery across northern parts. again, there's going to be a lot of cloud. in fact, if anything, more cloud for many areas than we've had today and more rain as well across many parts of england, wales, some rain into northern ireland and scotland, maybe holding onto some brightness in northwest scotland, perhaps something brighter into the south west of england. and some sunshine for the channel islands. the strongest winds for sunday across northern areas and again exposed to that wind, aberdeen, for example, just six degrees celsius. further south and west, london, plymouth, cardiff, ii or 12 degrees now into monday.

that easterly wind continues to ease, but we'll keep a lot of cloud. there'll be some bits and pieces of rain here and there. quite a lot of dry weather, too. temperatures again between six and 11 degrees. but there is a change on the way later in the week because we'll start to see areas of low pressure pushing in from the atlantic and that will change the wind direction. we will lose the easterly wind and pick up more of a south or south—westerly wind and that will bring a milder feel to proceedings. so temperatures, if anything, climbing as we head through the middle and the end of the week. but don't expect blue skies and sunshine all the time. they'll still be some cloud and rain at times.

live from london, this is bbc news: the european union says a maritime aid corridorfrom cyprus to gaza could begin operating within hours. the first vessel is being loaded now. thousands of people march in central london in support of gaza — the tenth major protest in the city since the october 7 attacks. armed men have abducted students from a school in northwestern nigeria this morning, with four women also taken. officials say hundreds of students are missing. voters in ireland look set to reject proposals to replace constitutional references to the makeup of family and women's "life within the home" in a significant defeat for the government. more than 10 years after leaving office, the veteran pakistani politician asif ali zardari has been elected president and new life is springing

from the sycamore gap tree. seedlings from the famously felled tree are starting to grow.