1984 Oscars: Winners and Nominees

47 films were recognised at the 1984 Academy Awards, across 23 categories. 12 of them took home at least one award.

The biggest winner of the year was Terms of Endearment, with 5 awards, ahead of Fanny and Alexander with 4. The categories below run from International Feature Film, Actor in a Leading Role and Actor in a Supporting Role to the smaller prizes, and in every one the winner is listed first, followed by the other nominees.

Each title links to the film's full award history at all four awards, and the links at the bottom step to the previous and next ceremony.

Last updated August 12, 2026

International Feature Film

Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Sweden
Winner
Carmen(1983)
Spain
Carmen(1984)
Spain
Entre Nous(1983)
France
Le Bal(1983)
Algeria
The Revolt of Job(1983)
Hungary

Actor in a Leading Role

Tender Mercies(1983)
Robert Duvall
Winner
Educating Rita(1983)
Michael Caine
Reuben, Reuben(1983)
Tom Conti
The Dresser(1983)
Tom Courtenay
The Dresser(1983)
Albert Finney

Actor in a Supporting Role

Terms of Endearment(1983)
Jack Nicholson
Winner
Cross Creek(1983)
Rip Torn
Terms of Endearment(1983)
John Lithgow
The Right Stuff(1983)
Sam Shepard
To Be or Not to Be(1983)
Charles Durning

Actress in a Leading Role

Terms of Endearment(1983)
Shirley MacLaine
Winner
Educating Rita(1983)
Julie Walters
Silkwood(1983)
Meryl Streep
Terms of Endearment(1983)
Debra Winger
Testament(1983)
Jane Alexander

Actress in a Supporting Role

The Year of Living Dangerously(1982)
Linda Hunt
Winner
Cross Creek(1983)
Alfre Woodard
Silkwood(1983)
Cher
The Big Chill(1983)
Glenn Close
Yentl(1983)
Amy Irving

Art Direction

Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Anna Asp
Winner
Return of the Jedi(1983)
Art Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole, James Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael Ford
Terms of Endearment(1983)
Art Direction: Polly Platt, Harold Michelson; Set Decoration: Tom Pedigo, Anthony Mondello
The Right Stuff(1983)
Art Direction: Geoffrey Kirkland, Richard J. Lawrence, W. Stewart Campbell, Peter Romero; Set Decoration: Pat Pending, George R. Nelson
Yentl(1983)
Art Direction: Roy Walker, Leslie Tomkins; Set Decoration: Tessa Davies

Best Picture

Terms of Endearment(1983)
James L. Brooks, Producer
Winner
Tender Mercies(1983)
Philip S. Hobel, Producer
The Big Chill(1983)
Michael Shamberg, Producer
The Dresser(1983)
Peter Yates, Producer
The Right Stuff(1983)
Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers

Cinematography

Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Sven Nykvist
Winner
Flashdance(1983)
Don Peterman
The Right Stuff(1983)
Caleb Deschanel
WarGames(1983)
William A. Fraker
Zelig(1983)
Gordon Willis

Costume Design

Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Marik Vos
Winner
Cross Creek(1983)
Joe I. Tompkins
Heart Like a Wheel(1983)
William Ware Theiss
The Return of Martin Guerre(1982)
Anne-Marie Marchand
Zelig(1983)
Santo Loquasto

Directing

Terms of Endearment(1983)
James L. Brooks
Winner
Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Ingmar Bergman
Silkwood(1983)
Mike Nichols
Tender Mercies(1983)
Bruce Beresford
The Dresser(1983)
Peter Yates

Documentary (Feature)

He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'(1983)
Emile Ardolino, Producer
Winner
Children of Darkness(1983)
Richard Kotuk and Ara Chekmayan, Producers
First Contact(1982)
Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson, Producers
Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists(1983)
James Klein and Julia Reichert, Producers
The Profession of Arms(1983)
Michael Bryans and Tina Viljoen, Producers

Documentary (Short Subject)

Flamenco at 5:15(1983)
Cynthia Scott and Adam Symansky, Producers
Winner
In the Nuclear Shadow: What Can the Children Tell Us?(1983)
Vivienne Verdon-Roe and Eric Thiermann, Producers
Sewing Woman(1982)
Arthur Dong, Producer
Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph(1983)
Robert Eisenhardt, Producer
You Are Free(1983)
Dea Brokman and Ilene Landis, Producers

Film Editing

The Right Stuff(1983)
Glenn Farr, Lisa Fruchtman, Stephen A. Rotter, Douglas Stewart, Tom Rolf
Winner
Blue Thunder(1983)
Frank Morriss, Edward Abroms
Flashdance(1983)
Bud Smith, Walt Mulconery
Silkwood(1983)
Sam O'Steen
Terms of Endearment(1983)
Richard Marks

Music (Original Score)

The Right Stuff(1983)
Bill Conti
Winner
Cross Creek(1983)
Leonard Rosenman
Return of the Jedi(1983)
John Williams
Terms of Endearment(1983)
Michael Gore
Under Fire(1983)
Jerry Goldsmith

Music (Original Song)

Flashdance(1983)
Flashdance...What A Feeling in "Flashdance" Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyric by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara
Winner
Flashdance(1983)
Maniac in "Flashdance" Music and Lyric by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky
Tender Mercies(1983)
Over You in "Tender Mercies" Music and Lyric by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart
Yentl(1983)
Papa, Can You Hear Me? in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Yentl(1983)
The Way He Makes Me Feel in "Yentl" Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman

Sound

The Right Stuff(1983)
Mark Berger, Tom Scott, Randy Thom, David MacMillan
Winner
Never Cry Wolf(1983)
Alan R. Splet, Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom, David Parker
Return of the Jedi(1983)
Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Tony Dawe
Terms of Endearment(1983)
Donald O. Mitchell, Rick Kline, Kevin O'Connell, Jim Alexander
WarGames(1983)
Michael J. Kohut, Carlos de Larios, Aaron Rochin, Willie D. Burton

Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)

Tender Mercies(1983)
Horton Foote
Winner
Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Ingmar Bergman
Silkwood(1983)
Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen
The Big Chill(1983)
Lawrence Kasdan, Barbara Benedek
WarGames(1983)
Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes

Writing (Screenplay--based on material from another medium)

Terms of Endearment(1983)
James L. Brooks
Winner
Betrayal(1983)
Harold Pinter
Educating Rita(1983)
Willy Russell
Reuben, Reuben(1983)
Julius J. Epstein
The Dresser(1983)
Ronald Harwood

Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score)

Yentl(1983)
Song Score by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Winner
The Sting II(1983)
Adaptation Score by Lalo Schifrin
Trading Places(1983)
Adaptation Score by Elmer Bernstein

Short Film (Animated)

Sundae in New York(1983)
Jimmy Picker, Producer
Winner
Mickey's Christmas Carol(1983)
Burny Mattinson, Producer
Sound of Sunshine - Sound of Rain(1983)
Eda Godel Hallinan, Producer

Short Film (Live Action)

Boys and Girls(1983)
Janice L. Platt, Producer
Winner
Goodie-Two-Shoes(1984)
Ian Emes, Producer
Overnight Sensation(1984)
Jon N. Bloom, Producer

Sound Effects Editing

The Right Stuff(1983)
Jay Boekelheide
Winner
Return of the Jedi(1983)
Ben Burtt

Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)

Return of the Jedi(1983)
Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, Phil Tippett
Winner

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