‘Beyond the Lights’ Theme Song “Grateful” Snags Oscar Nomination

Despite not being nominated in any of the film categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, or Best Screenplay, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s 2014 offering, Beyond the Lights, did manage to grab one Academy Award nomination.  The Diane Warren-penned “Grateful,” performed on the film’s soundtrack by Rita Ora, earned a nomination for Best Original Song, marking Warren’s 7th Oscar nomination.  Starring the magnificent Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a disenchanted pop ingenue and Nate Parker as a cop with political aspirations, Beyond the Lights follows Noni and Kaz as their unlikely friendship transforms into a passionate love affair.  Beyond the Lights premiered 14 years after Prince-Bythewood’s groundbreaking big screen debut, Love and Basketball, which starred Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps.