If you haven't seen Vera Drake, you must hurry!

The art-house hit about a kindhearted British woman helping unwed young women with abortions, and the concomitant problems she faces, was on its way out a month ago when it got three Oscar nominations. One of them, for Imelda Staunton's glorious performance, was widely expected, but did anyone expect the film to get Mike Leigh nominations for Best Director and Best Script?

The nominations helped the movie gross an additional $1 million in North America, taking its total to $3.1 million, and will undoubtedly boost its prospects when the DVD comes out in a few months. But the film, now in 90 theatres in major cities in North America, will not be around for long, unless it wins an Oscar for Staunton or Leigh.

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Likewise, Being Julia, the story of an aging actress whose life becomes increasingly insecure thanks to her jealousy and her plot to punish her young faithless lover, was also on its way out when Annette Bening [Images] was nominated for her mesmerising performance.

Unlike Vera Drake, which had been warmly embraced by major critics, Being Julia had received mixed reviews. But critics were unanimous about the strength of Bening's performance. Like Vera Drake, the Bening starrer was also made for about $6 million, and has grossed a decent $5.3 million in North America. The movie, now on 70 screens, will rapidly lose locations unless Bening wins.

The searing adultery drama Closer, which received two nominations in the supporting actors' category, was also on its last legs when Clive Owen [Images] and Natalie Portman [Images] were nominated. Distributor Sony added a few hundred theatres, launched a new ad campaign, and saw the box-office collections go up. The nominations helped the film make at least $3 million extra in North America, taking its total to $34 million. The nominations also helped the film in its foreign run. The $25 million movie, ending its American run with a decent $35 million gross, is expected to gross at least $80 million abroad.

Like Vera Drake, Being Julia, Kinsey and Finding Neverland, Closer will not be around for more than two or three weeks unless it bags a couple of awards. If it wins an Oscar, it may be able to add another $1 million, and much more when it hits video stores.

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One of the most acclaimed films of last year, Kinsey is an absorbing and emotionally arousing story of a man's crusade to educate America on sex, and the price he pays in his private life in the 1950s. The film was expected to win a raft of nominations but won only one, in the supporting actor category for Laura Linney, who plays the beleaguered wife of the sex researcher.

The $15 million movie did not really benefit from the nomination. It had taken an anaemic $9 million till then. 

The Johnny Depp [Images] starrer Finding Neverland, which examines the bittersweet life of J M Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, bagged seven nominations, including for Best Film and Best Actor categories. The film was relaunched after the nominations, and went on to earn some $3 million extra.

Made for $25 million, the film directed by Marc Foster has grossed a healthy $45 million in North America. It exploited the nominations better in its foreign engagements because it had just started rolling out abroad on the eve of the nominations.

Currently, the film is on 900 screens in North America. Expect it to lose more than half those screens if it goes home empty-handed from Oscar night.

But the three major Oscar-bound films The Aviator (1,700 theatres), Million Dollar Baby (2,105 theatres) and Sideways (1,300 theatres) will be around for at least a month even if they do not take home any Oscar.

But a couple of major Oscars, say in the directing, acting and best picture category, could give either film a strong boost in America and worldwide.

Another film that won't disappear overnight is the disturbing, brutal, but ultimately life-affirming Hotel Rwanda, which received three nominations. The film, which reportedly cost about $15 million, has grossed a modest $16 7 million and is playing in 600 theatres. It will be around for at least a month since this week it grossed a healthy $1.7 million.