Reason for only one nomination?

Several likely reasons.

Paramount really botched the job on the campaign and especially in getting screeners out in a timely manner (something they apparently didn't learn after they did the same thing with the movie "Selma" a couple of years ago) and the subject matter isn't the type that was ever going to have mass appeal with the general public or Academy members.

The movie has also been underperforming in the precursors that, and its underwhelming box office performance, prevented it from ever getting much traction during awards season.

No doubt there are other reasons but those are probably the main ones.

No backing by the studio. Also tha oscars are a joke.

Let's face it, if the same exact movie had been about two gay priests hiding out from the Japanese because of their homosexuality rather than religion, the Academy would have been falling over themselves to give it nominations.

Could it be the academy rather Scorsese made a holocaust picture?

Once AGAIN Hollywood demonstrates what a messed-up, coke-addled pathetic industry it's become. Once politics corrupts the creative arts then it starts a death spiral into irrelevancy. This is the real threat to the motion picture arts, not video games.

As the second poster mentioned, Paramount really screwed its chances. They've been terrible with their releases lately. They really didn't seem to have any interest in selling Star Trek Beyond as a major event, which is odd considering that franchise is one of their crown jewels and it was Star Trek's 50th aniversary... Silence, which as far as I'm aware was only distributed by them didn't stand a chance! They leaked the trailer one month before it was due out and then they gave it that pathetic release! It's like they could only afford to hype one Oscar hopeful, so they went with Fences instead.

Haven't seen the other nominees, but I hope Silence wins for cinematography. I don't see how any of them (with the exception of maybe La La Land) could be more deserving than Silence. Hell, even people who thought it was "boring" largely admit that it looked ravishing.

I never earned a nickel from another man's sweat!

Because it's a chore and a bore to sit through.

If you want to watch a genuinely entertaining and thought-provoking movie on thematically similar subject matter then I'd recommend William Peter Blatty's The Ninth Configuration. Much better performances too.

Mai Yamane! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-sYFirfywY&feature=related

Because its a vapid film.

It had all the parts available. Great cinematography, solid acting, etc, but it doesn't give you anything solid.

The rug is pulled out from under everything when Rodrigues renounces his faith. The "hero" of the film giving in to tormentors? And then turning his back on everything? Its just not a good story.