Fill Out Your Own 2018 Oscars Ballot

Before we see who takes home an Oscar at the Academy Awards, we wanted to hear your predictions. While we can't present you with a little golden man, we'll be handing out WBUR prize packs to three people with the closest ballots.

Over the last several years, the conversation during the awards ceremony centered on the noticeable lack of diversity among the Academy's winners and the industry at-large. For many, the final moments of last year's ceremony encapsulated the lack of diversity among Academy members. The embarrassing "La La Land" and "Moonlight" mix-up for Best Picture accentuated the problem. Since then, the Academy has invited new members with an eye toward diversifying its cohort, bringing minority membership to 13 percent and women's membership to 28 percent.

This year, the #OscarsSoWhite conversation (though still clearly necessary) may be somewhat eclipsed by the industry's need to grapple with sexual assault and harassment in its ranks. After The New York Times chronicled Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein's pattern of sexual abuse in the workplace, there's been story after story about the harassment and abuse women and men, in the entertainment industry and elsewhere, have endured at the hands of powerful men. That conversation swept the Golden Globes with a sea of black dresses and electrified the Grammys with speeches and powerful performances — and we could easily expect it to take center stage at the Academy Awards on March 4.

Who's On The Ballot?

In terms of the competition, "Shape of Water" (with 13 nominations) and "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (with seven) seem to be at the top of many people's Oscar picks. But based on other award nominations and wins this season, FiveThirtyEight predicts "Shape of Water" will edge out "Three Billboards" to take home the Best Picture award. (Last year, its models accurately predicted the ultimate winners for all the top categories except Best Picture.)

Frances McDormand ("Three Billboards") and Gary Oldman ("Darkest Hour") are projected to win Best Actress and Best Actor, FiveThirtyEight says. "Coco" (Pixar's animated film notable for its Latino cast) is the favorite for Best Animated Feature. "Faces Places" (in which a French New Wave filmmaker teams up with popular street artist JR to meet strangers) seems most likely to win Best Documentary, though the category is arguably less competitive than last year.

For more, take a peek at FiveThirtyEight's other predictions and how the modeling works. If you check out the odds, the majority of bets fall along similar lines, with, again, a tight race for Best Picture between "Three Billboards" and "Shape of Water."

Let's Get Back To Our Ballot 

Make your best predictions of who you think will win. There will be no points awarded for selecting who you believe should win. Send in your submissions by Sunday, March 4 at 8 p.m. EST to be entered to win a WBUR arts and culture ticket package. The prize includes Boston Ballet tickets, Merrimack Repertory Theatre tickets, Peabody Essex Museum passes, Museum of Fine Arts tickets, reservations for an upcoming Moth StorySLAM, a tote bag and other WBUR swag like a fidget spinner and phone wallet.

If you don't feel like you've seen enough of the films nominated, The New York Times has this handy guide on how to stream many of them.

So, no excuses, break out your inner movie critic, and let us know in the form below who you think will be holding an Oscar in triumph: