Paramount Pictures has given a prime award-season slot to Denzel Washington‘s Fences, an adaptation of the renowned August Wilson play which only wrapped a month ago. The film will have a limited New York and L.A. break on 12.16 followed by a wide release on 12.25.

If you’re an Academy or SAG/PGA/DGA guild member looking to demonstrate to your colleagues or yourself that you’re not an Oscars-So-Whitey type, I can tell you right now you’re almost certainly going to nominate Fences along with The Birth of a Nation for Best Picture. Once that’s done it’ll be a mano e mano between these two. Within their realm, I mean.

I’m not saying either is going to win, lose or anything in between or that tokenism is going to be a greater factor than quality, but the odds strongly favor their inclusion as Best Picture contenders. 2016 is going to be the Year of the Great Oscars-So-White Makeup Gesture. Tell me I’m wrong.

Denzel has directed as well as starred. Costarring Viola Davis (likely Best Actress contender), Jovan Adepo, Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby. Scott Rudin is producing; Tony Kushner has (adapted) screenplay credit with Denzel having also contributed. The dp is Charlotte Bruus Christensen.