The Oscar nominations are announced this afternoon and it is hoped New Zealand director Niki Caro's latest effort, North Country, will grab a couple.

It has already picked up nominations for the Golden Globes, the British Film and Television Awards and Screen Actors Guild awards for its actors Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand.

Theron is keeping cool over whether she will be listening out for her name, saying it will be another regular day. She was in Auckland at the end of last week for North Country's New Zealand premiere.

It will be a nervous wait for Niki Caro to see if her latest film's nominated for an Academy Award but she says she is just happy with the end product.

She says she does not spend a moment thinking about awards.