Fiona Pulchny (she/her) writes Close Up, a column covering the entertainment industry and its impact on the community. She is a fourth-year student studying English Literature and French. Her email is f.pulchny@ubyssey.ca.
The Academy Awards are tonight. Their viewership is certainly not at the scale it used to be, but movie buffs — in this paper, too — are still deliberating this year’s nominees and casting predictions on who will take home the glory. At local theatres’ Oscars watch parties at VIFF Centre, The Hollywood Theatre and The Rio sold out fast.
It’s surprising that the Oscars still carry the prestige and relevance they do. Especially since numerous somewhat questionable choices have rightfully decreased trust in the Academy. How could we forget the infamous Green Book Best Picture win, or the sorry lack of female directors to be simply nominated in the Best Director category? If the Oscars are not a true reflection of the best films of the year — if the Academy has a reputation for bias and prejudice — then why care about the awards at all?
I’m not calling for viewers to fall in line with the Academy’s decisions, or force themselves to enjoy many-a-painful jokes presenters hope will land. Simply put: keeping up with the Oscars is more important than ever; like it or not, the Awards remain highly influential in the film industry and in what, who and how we watch.
From a wide lens, the Awards incentivize inventive entertainment. Tom Charity, year-round programmer at VIFF Centre, thinks they are especially important in the American film industry. “Certain films would likely, very likely not be made if it weren't for the lure of the Oscars,” he said in an interview.
Charity said, for example, that Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another couldn’t have been made unless it was going to be “hailed as one of the best films of the year,” It’s outrageous budget and nearly three-hour run time made it seem like a guaranteed loss for Warner Bros. Yet despite the projected revenue loss, awards prestige carried so much weight that those concerns just faded to the background. Now, the film is up for some of the biggest awards of the night, including Best Picture and Best Director.
The Awards also boost careers. The new casting award spotlights casting directors more than ever before. Hopefully, it'll increase recognition for their vital role in filmmaking — and the allure of the award itself will likely influence future casting, too. Maybe more recognition will be afforded to casting unknowns and reduce how often we see the same A-list actors’ faces over and over again (it’s nothing personal, Jacob Elordi).
Take, for instance, The Secret Agent — although lead actor Wagner Moura is well-known for his role in the TV Series Narcos, his nomination for Best Actor introduces his name to a wider audience of movie watchers and industry workers. The film's casting director, Gabriel Domingues, is nominated for the award. His method of mixing both seasoned actors and unfamiliar faces prioritizes the cohesion of an ensemble over creating buzz for a ‘stacked cast’. His technical and artistic work is getting noticed — and hopefully encourages others to follow suit.
The same idea tracks to the future of the film business; Sinners is making Oscars history with its grand total of sixteen nominations. Director Ryan Coogler struck an unusual deal with Warner Bros. to completely own his film after 25 years, which threatens studios and their current system of control. If Sinners wins even one of those awards, that could pave the way for more directors to fight for deals to protect their films from being spin-offed or sequel-ed without their say.
Not convinced? Now for the local lens. The Academy Awards are a major draw for the theatres. Tom Charity of VIFF admitted he “used to be very cynical about the Academy Awards,” but that working in the theatre business changed his perspective: “I wish we had the Oscars twice a year, maybe three times.” When VIFF runs Oscar contenders, there's a spike in audience numbers. For a theatre that prioritizes lesser-known films over big blockbusters, the buzz around Oscars nominees helps widen their audience and bring more through their doors. Watch parties are part of this, too. Amelie Lynge of the Hollywood Theatre detailed how drag queens host their event and features a “prediction contest … and whoever guesses the most right … gets a prize.” VIFF’s event includes a Best Dressed competition and Oscars Bingo.
Local theatres give exposure to quality films, but they're hubs for us to build community around the arts. For Amelie, the Oscars help Hollywood reach their “local neighbourhood audience,” by providing an engaging and interactive show. Tom Charity says their Oscars screening is more than a "commercial transaction.” The screening itself builds their community, “and it makes it all a more valuable, valuable experience.”
Yes, the Academy Awards are flawed. Undeniably so. Their track record of misfires and controversies will likely continue. The films and careers they spotlight are a reflection of the type of entertainment that is created for us to consume. Whether you're dressing up and attending a local Oscars screening tonight or simply going to see one nominee as intended (on the big screen), the awards can't be dismissed.
From the Academy's judges to your local trivia, all aspects of the Oscars direct the future of the film.
This is an opinion essay, and a part of a regular column. It reflects the columnist’s views and may not reflect the views of The Ubyssey as a whole. Contribute to the conversation by visiting ubyssey.ca/pages/submit-an-opinion.
