At last evening's 97th Academy Awards, Dune: Part Two secured two Oscars: Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. While these awards recognize the film's technical excellence, they also highlight the Academy's historical tendency to limit recognition of science fiction (sci-fi) films to technical categories, often overlooking them in major awards such as Best Picture, Best Director, and acting categories.
Historically, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has shown reluctance in honoring sci-fi films in major categories. Notable sci-fi classics like Blade Runner (1982) & Blade Runner 2049 (2018), The Matrix (1999), and Inception (2010) received acclaim for their groundbreaking visuals and storytelling but were largely confined to technical awards. For instance, The Matrix won four Oscars, all in technical categories, without nominations for Best Picture or Best Director. 2018's Blade Runner 2049 won for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography, but wasn't even nominated for Best Picture, nor Best Director.