2023 was a good year for movies, we had some bangers but I don’t find this year’s awards as being fairly distributed and it didn’t feel like anyone’s big night: It felt like the show could've easily unfolded at any Oscars -or frankly, any awards ceremony- in any given year. The unamusing uncle jokes, the predictable victors, the overly scripted segments, the unauthentic speeches… a little too ordinary for Hollywood’s big nigh.
Quick disclaimer though - This is Art and entertainment. I am not looking to start any kind of argument. I am only taking this opportunity to give my opinion based on the filmmaking that I love and maybe highlight some pieces and processes I wish were more recognized.
La crème de la crème was there. The whole team of most nominated movies attended as expected but I found this year’s guests to be a beautiful melting pot of the continuum of the cinema artistry as this year, the Academy went for a little creative twist by bringing previous Awards winners to hand over Oscars for the supporting and leading actrices and actors nominees. While lacking some authenticity, I thought it to be a clever move. It brought together long time artists such as Rita Moreno, Al Pacino, Sally Field and Jessica Lange and the newer, more recent wave like Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ke Huy Quan, Jenifer Lawrence and Margot Robbie. The cherry on top would’ve been to show an piece of each actor’s performance in addition to the praises and have a less prompt reading.
What else happened ?
Well : Steven Spielberg was there, of course, and handed over the Oscar for best Director.
Bradley Cooper brought his mom.
John Cena delivered the Oscar for Best Costume Design... naked...
Ryan Golsing painted the Dolby Theatre in hot pink performing “I’m Just Ken”.
Robert Downey Jr. thanked his lawyer.
John Mulaney was sensational in a less than two minute speech
…and… Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony… again.
Now that we know who was there and who shouldn’t have been there, what are the Oscars exactly? When were they created? And what does receiving such an award means?
According to the Internet, The Oscars were established by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and their first presentation took place in 1929. The AMPAS was founded in 1927 by prominent figures in the movie industry, including Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM, and Douglas Fairbanks.
”The Academy Awards of Merit, commonly known as the Oscars or Academy Awards, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the film industry. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States, in recognition of excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy's voting membership."
Basically, receiving an academy award means being the best of the best in the nominated category. That being cleared, I’m not sure the Academy refers to the same definition, at least - not all the time.
I- THE SPLITTING PROBLEM
We all were expecting the biggest movies of the year to be in the stack : Oppenheimer, Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon and Poor Things. However, I was disappointed of the splitting of the winnings. It’s no surprise to me that Barbie wasn’t in the Academy’s pick but I was not expecting Killers of the Flower Moon to be totally ignored. It was one of Scorsese best picture in my opinion and definitely in the top 3 of the greatest films of this past year. Lily Gladstone delivered a breath taking minimalist and naturalist performance and it would have been refreshing -and absolutely deserved- to see her take home the Oscar for best actress. Emma Stone was great in Poor Things, it was probably her best role so far, she had a lot of physical movement to integrate and Bella Baxter is most definitely a weird skin to get under of but… sometimes less is more and well… Lily… let’s just say it would’ve been great if she had won it.
I was glad to see the Academy acknowledging some smaller budget movies such as Anatomy of a Fall and American Fiction. Almost half of the nominated movies didn’t went over a 15M dollars budget which is encouraging for upcoming filmmakers and smaller production companies, especially after Hollywood’s double strike and the overwhelming increase of high-budget movies.
Once receiving his first Oscar for Adapted Screenplay, the first time filmmaker Cord Jefferson who wrote and directed American Fiction, called out on how risk-averse Hollywood is and made a point of emphasizing the decreasing opportunities for low- and mid-budget filmmaking in a blockbuster obsessed Hollywood. “＄200M movies are also a risk” he said “instead of making one＄200M movie, try making 10 ＄20M movies. Or 50＄4M movies."
While some low and mid-budget movies were rewarded this year, I had a hard time watching Oppenheimer take all the credit. Yes, it is a good movie, yes it has a great cast, yes Christopher Nolan is a talented director and yes the score was magnificent but was it truly the best of the best in all its winning categories ? I truly admire the risk Nolan and Thomas took on making and producing a movie about the making of the Atomic Bomb given the circumstances of the world we are living in and I appreciate how they delivered the story not taking a political side and not using any CGI, but it is almost like it had to win most of the awards to make up for the massive budget they used and the big advertising impact it has.
Or maybe it’s something else ?
II - THE TRUTH BEHIND THE ACADEMY
While receiving an Oscar is recognized as being one of the most prestigious proof of achievement in the arts of cinema, it often times brought some disappointment and confusion regarding the winner’s choice of the Academy. How can some of the most outstanding performances and productions to be overshadowed by others that are less impactful ?
To start with, it is important to know that most of the AMPAS membership is overwhelmingly composed of white men. The 2012 study of the LA Times shows that 90% of the members are caucasian and 77% are men. While this study refers to facts from over 10 years ago and that many advocacy groups, scholars, and media outlets are speaking out about the issues of diversity and representation in the entertainment industry, it’s most likely that the percentage is still in favor of the white males - which still reflects in the winning choices as the demographic makeup of the Academy has implications for the types of films and performances that are recognized and celebrated at the Oscars. The lack of diversity among AMPAS members contribute to biases in the nomination and voting processes, overlooking deserving films and talent from underrepresented communities.
In 2015, the media activist April Reign created the hashtag and movement #Oscarsowhite as a way to highlight and protest the underrepresentation of people of color in the film industry, both in front of and behind the camera after the nominees in the acting categories of this year announced a notable absence of artists of color. This movement is significant for several reason :It highlights the importance of representation in media and entertainment : Seeing people of diverse backgrounds represented in film and television is crucial for audiences to feel seen, valued, and included.It holds the film industry accountable for its practices and decisions by drawing attention to the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations and awards. It challenges Hollywood to examine its casting choices, production processes, and institutional biases that may contribute to the underrepresentation of people of color in prominent roles both on and off-screen.It sends a message about whose stories and contributions are valued and celebrated in mainstream media and culture. Indeed, the Oscars are one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies in the entertainment industry, and the recognition and prestige associated with winning an Oscar can have a significant impact on careers and opportunities.It has sparked important conversations about diversity, inclusion, and equity in Hollywood and beyond. It has prompted initiatives within the film industry to address systemic barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented voices.
The impact of these movements, advocacy groups and media outlets on award winning diversity is multifaceted, influencing not only the composition of nominees and winners but also the broader industry norms and practices related to diversity and representation. They serve as catalysts for change, pushing the film industry toward greater inclusivity and equity in all aspects of filmmaking and awards recognition.
So yes, since them, various initiatives and efforts have been undertaken within the industry to address these issues, including the Academy's own diversity and inclusion initiatives aimed at increasing the representation of women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups within its membership and leadership but - I feel it’s kinda still in the air to some degree and I wonder if this demographic imbalance can be one of the reason why Killer of The Flower Moon and Lily Gladstone were left behind?
In order to fully understand why some pieces or performances may be overlooked or undervalued by Academy, it is important to know that the voting process for the Academy Award is a multi-step and somewhat complex procedure that involves thousands of members from various branches of the film industry needing to review an average of 200 eligible films a year. I invite you to watch Thomas Flight’s video “Anatomy of a Snub” in which he covers in details the voting process AMPAS members go through in order to retrieve nominees and winners each year.
In conclusion, while winning an Oscar brings a recognition and prestige that can have a life changing impact on careers and opportunities, it's essential to remember that awards are just one measure of success in an industry where artistic merit is subjective and multifaceted. True excellence in filmmaking transcends accolades and exists independently of awards ceremonies. Ultimately, the impact and value of a film or performance should be measured not solely by the recognition it receives but by its ability to resonate with audiences, provoke thought, and inspire change.