You make a good case for these three categories. But for most people, best film, best actor/ress, best supporting actor/ress are the important categories.
The got pretty well everything else right. But the actors who played Jesus, Mary, and Mary Magdalene all did splendid jobs too.
And how about converted screenplay? The original was the gospels, but a splendid job was done converting them to the screen--compare it with all the other films that have been done about Jesus.
Finally, how about best film?
They gave the movie a foot in the door, but not much more.
Foriegn language films rarely get writing nomionations.
Yep. I especially thought 'Mary' would get a nod (Maia Morgenstern). She conveyed so much feeling without saying a single thing in English. Just her face, her eyes, her movements.
And, at the very end, the Pieta...