Tomorrow is the 97th Academy Awards, and we’re not done with our annual traditions just yet. Our friend Carol Hopp from the Archives of Ontario has returned for the seventh year in a row with a brand new menu for your Sunday festivities. For any any newcomers to the Creating an Oscar-Worthy Dinner column, Hopp makes a dinner with each menu item based on a Best Picture nominee from that year. The catch is that all Best Picture nominees must be included, and this has to function as a proper meal (so drinks, desserts, and all the fixings; we can’t just have ten snacks to pick from, or ten different main courses). She has pulled off the impossible again, and just in time for you to get ready with your grocery shopping today before you unveil your Oscars-themed feast for your party tomorrow night. Let’s dive right in and see what Hopp has put together this year.

You can also check out her 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 menus.

Drink: Green Drink, Water

Who wouldn’t want to start the evening festivities with a Wicked drink? Hopp wants to recreate the green elixir that Elphaba has in the beloved musical, suggesting that “something like Bolthouse Farms Daily Greens” should do the trick. A more sadistic drink would be the traditional choice of water, if you recall The Wizard of Oz at all (we think this year calls for us to be more Team Elphaba, don’t you?).

Snack: Bugles, Peanuts

Kick things off lightly with some beloved salty snacks courtesy of A Complete Unknown. The more obvious choice would be to find some Bugles (the kind that “Johnny Cash offered to Bob Dylan”. However, as Hopp reminded me, these snacks are sadly hard to find now and discontinued up north in Canada. Unless you want to trek down to the United States, or ship in an order from Amazon, Hopp has a backup plan: peanuts. “Bob offered [these] to Sylvie when he first met her,” Hopp pointed out. The dinner is saved!

Snack/Drink: Oranges, Orange Juice

“Oranges are prominent” in Nickel Boys, Hopp states. “They are served for breakfast, they are picked from the trees, and orange juice is served to Elwood and Turner when they are working.” Given the film’s affinity for the Floridian fruit (a sign of where the film takes place, and the hope for prosperity, growth, and success amidst bigotry and hardship), we think including oranges in this Oscars-themed dinner is a great addition.

Appetizer: Guacamole With Chips and/or Vegetables

While many would argue that Jacques Audiard failed to represent Mexico in a strong way, Hopp still wishes to use this opportunity to add some Mexican flair to her Oscars dinner by using guacamole as her entry to represent Emilia Pérez. Depending on what kind of party you wish to have, you can opt to have either chips or culturally-relevant vegetables (like peppers) to serve alongside the guac. Qué rico!

Appetizer: Shrimp

This choice speaks for itself. “Harvey ate a lot of shrimp,” Hopp says, which could be the understatement of the century (if this were an episode of Seinfeld, Harvey would be told “The ocean called. They’re running out of shrimp.”). Arguably the grossest scene of the film, The Substance kicks off with this grotesque eating sequence that will ring in the minds of all viewers. However, you are welcome to eat your appetizer shrimp in a far more graceful way, should you choose.

Appetizer: Tortellini

Conclave seems like it would be a trickier film to include as a menu option for an Oscars-themed dinner, but Hopp has this figured out. “While preparations were being made for the gathering of the religious leaders,” Hopp explains, “I am sure I saw tortellini – a favourite Italian pasta.” This seems like a reasonable choice that fits in nicely with many meals.

Main Course: Soup with Chicken, Carrots and Peas

In relation to The Brutalist, Hopp focuses on the second half of the film by pointing out that “Erzsébet is a great cook and seems to prepare soups with chicken, carrots and peas.” How you prepare all of the above is up to you (let out your inner Erzsébet). Hopp also thinks that this portion of the menu would pair up nicely “with the tortellini” from the Conclave portion of the feast. We’d agree with her.

Main Course: Burgers and Fries

Hopp reflects on a rare, more quiet moment in the manic section of Anora: “While chasing down Ivan, the group stops at a diner and has burger and fries.” If you think that both a burger and fries for this already-large dinner is too much, then having fries on the side should do. To really go all-out, Hopp suggests adding some “Russian flavour” and having the option to “include Russian salad dressing for a fry dip.” After we eat this part of the meal, it’s back to business; no more resting.

Dessert/Snack: Savory Popcorn, Gummy Worms

Well into the evening, once Dune: Part Two has worked its magic in the craft and tech categories and the Oscars ceremony continues, you can honour the science fiction epic with an interesting addition: “savory popcorn.” Hopp clarifies this choice by reminding us that spice is so important in this story”, and so the popcorn can sport its own spices, “garlic, cumin, paprika and chili powder.” Once your eyes are blue and you are connected to the universe, we cannot forget about those dreaded sandworms, so why not toss in some gummy worms to boot? Whether you’re that kind of eater and want to have the gummy worms in the popcorn is up to you. No one will judge, except for maybe Lisan al Gaib.

Dessert: Souffle

“Souffles are mentioned a few times as a favourite meal,” Hopp points out regarding the family-based political drama, I’m Still Here; for the themes of the film alone, something close to the Paiva home feels honourable. Feel free to either bake your own, or — if all of the above is already a massive undertaking — pick up a prepared souffle to wrap up this delicious Academy Awards feast. Bon appétit!

That’s all for this year’s edition of the Oscar-Worthy Dinner menu. Thanks once again to our dear friend, film archivist Carol Hopp! Enjoy your Oscars Sunday.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

Creating an Oscar-Worthy Dinner with Film Archivist Carol Hopp 2025 Edition