Oscars 2025: 3 Things to Consider Before the Ceremony
A few reflections on this year's awards by Aryan Vyas
Hello Films, Mon Amour Community,
As we head into tonight’s ceremony—the culmination of awards season and the most well-known and highly celebrated by the general public—Amour Films’ Aryan Vyas shares 3 of his reflections on the trends, nominations, and shifts occurring this season that could shape the industry moving forward.
I. All Nominees in the Director Category Are Also Their Writers: A Move Toward Championing Auteurism in the Mainstream?
Anyone following the Academy Awards would notice a significant shift in how films are recognized and celebrated. This change reflects not only the evolving audience perceptions of global cinema but also a systemic transformation within the Academy itself. Since the #OscarsSoWhite movement in 2015, the Academy's voting membership has expanded from approximately 6,000 to over 9,000, incorporating younger, more diverse, and international members.
In recent years, the Academy has predominantly honored writer-directors in both Screenplay categories, with all Oscar-winning screenplays being penned or co-penned by the film’s director. This near-universal success rate for writer-directors marks a notable departure from the previous two decades, during which only about half of the Oscar-winning screenplays were attributed to writer-directors. This trend is evident in the nominations as well; over the past seven years, more than 85% of the Best Original Screenplay nominees have been writer-directors. The Best Adapted Screenplay category exhibits an even more pronounced shift, with the majority of nominees in the past seven years being writer-directors. Across Hollywood, the boundaries between film disciplines are increasingly fluid. This phenomenon extends to television, too, where roles among actors, producers, directors, and writers often overlap. Emerging directors such as Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, the Daniels, Brady Corbet, and Sean Baker exemplify this trend, as they consistently write and direct their own projects.
As the annual awards discourse gravitates toward this new wave of filmmakers, it's anticipated that Best Picture contenders will increasingly feature shared writer-director roles. This shift can be largely attributed to the embrace of auteur theory—a concept that gained prominence in the 1970s following the French New Wave. In today's mainstream landscape, directors often receive more media attention than writers, affording them greater visibility during award campaigns and enhancing their appeal to voters. Consequently, voters may view a Screenplay nomination as an additional opportunity to honor a writer-director they admire, especially if that individual is unlikely to secure the directing award.
II. The Changing Perception of Genre Films
Each year, audiences worldwide express growing frustration with the Academy's reluctance to acknowledge certain genres, particularly horror. This sentiment has long been accepted as fact, given the enduring stigma that regards horror as less prestigious than other genres. The emergence of the term 'elevated horror' to describe nuanced films like "Hereditary" or "Get Out" underscores this bias. Notably, Jordan Peele marketed "Get Out" as a 'social thriller' rather than a horror film. The term "elevated horror" implies that the genre requires enhancement to be taken seriously, which is both reductive and counterproductive. Historically, horror cinema has served as a reflection of societal fears and anxieties, functioning as a cultural zeitgeist that permeates various genres. Films such as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and the recent surge in post-pandemic slasher movies exemplify this role.
Fortunately, the Academy has become more receptive to distinctive genre films in recent years. A notable milestone occurred when "The Substance" garnered five nominations this year, suggesting a newfound openness to horror. While it's challenging for a horror film to win Best Picture—due to the preferential balloting system that favors broadly appealing movies—this development represents a positive step. It may encourage studios and voters to be more accepting of the genre.
III. The International Voter Factor and Breaking the Release Strategy Convention
The Academy has become increasingly global in its membership composition. Currently, over 25% of its members reside outside the United States. In 2020, the Academy invited 819 new members, with 49% being international professionals from 68 countries.
This diversification is reflected in the nominations, with international cinema making significant inroads beyond the Best International Feature Film category. Non-English-language films are now more prominent than ever, with titles like "Anatomy of a Fall" and "The Zone of Interest" last year, and "Emilia Pérez" and "I'm Still Here" competing for Best Picture this year.
The Academy's evolution aligns with contemporary film enthusiasts' viewing habits. This shift has also challenged the traditional belief that films released earlier in the calendar year have diminished prospects for sustained Oscar buzz. The changing dynamics of film engagement have created ripples in the industry, influencing cultural discourse and altering conventional release strategies.
In summary, the Academy Awards are undergoing a transformation, embracing auteur-driven projects, redefining genre perceptions, and acknowledging the supreme nature of cinema. These developments reflect a broader shift in the film industry, one that celebrates diverse voices and stories from around the world.
About Aryan
Aryan Vyas is an Amour Films team member and film critic who shares an equal fascination towards science and philosophy. Alike most cinephiles, he too believes that films carry the potential of acting as windows to peep into different cultures in search for the human condition. He has written for publications such as High on Films, Film Companion and Asian Movie Pulse. Through his write-ups, he looks at the art form through a sociopolitical lens, as he believes art is always better consumed knowing the subtext.