While many had predicted that Netflix’s Roma would win the Oscar for best motion picture at the 2019 Oscars, Green Book ultimately came out on top. Netflix’s participation at the awards ceremony continues to divide opinion.
No Best Picture Oscar for Netflix
Netflix had spent an estimated $25-30 million on its Oscar campaign for Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, which is almost double the production budget for the movie. Netflix had its eyes on winning the most prestigious Oscar, which would have been a first for any streaming service and an important milestone for the company.
Roma had been nominated in a total of 10 categories and took home three awards, including an Oscar for best foreign language film, but it did not win the best motion picture award. That Oscar went to Green Book that also won in two other categories. Bohemian Rhapsody took home four awards while Black Panther took home three. Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse won the Oscar for best animated film.
Netflix’s participation at the Academy Awards show continues to divide opinion. One of the contentious issues being debated is a qualifying run in theaters. This simply means that any movie must be shown in cinema before it can qualify for an Oscar. It is the second rule of play: ”Publicly exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film, or in a 24- or 48-frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels”.
In order to participate – and to appease some of its biggest filmmakers – Netflix has been giving a few of its films such as Roma and Birdbox a limited theatrical run in select countries. Major cinema chains typically demand an exclusive window of at least 90 days and some have argued that Netflix is essentially playing the system. Steven Spielberg has argued that Netflix is producing TV movies that should not qualify for Oscar nomination.
The debate will surely continue as more companies are about to enter the streaming race. Apple, Disney, and WarnerMedia are all planning to launch their respective streaming services later this year.
Many had expected Netflix’s Roma to win this year’s top price, which would in some ways legitimize the streaming model. It did not happen but the shift is already underway. Perhaps the academy is simply not ready. As some people in Hollywood have said; a vote for Roma is a vote for Netflix.
Academy Awards 2019
Best motion picture of the year:
BLACK PANTHER
BLACKkKLANSMAN
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
THE FAVOURITE
GREEN BOOK
ROMA
A STAR IS BORN
VICE
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Best foreign language film of the year:
CAPERNAUM (Lebanon)
COLD WAR (Poland)
NEVER LOOK AWAY (Germany)
ROMA (Mexico)
SHOPLIFTERS (Japan)
|
Best animated feature film of the year:
INCREDIBLES 2
ISLE OF DOGS
MIRAI
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
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Performance by an actress in a leading role:
Yalitza Aparicio in ROMA
Glenn Close in THE WIFE
Olivia Colman in THE FAVOURITE
Lady Gaga in A STAR IS BORN
Melissa McCarthy in CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
|
Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
Amy Adams in VICE
Marina de Tavira in ROMA
Regina King in IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Emma Stone in THE FAVOURITE
Rachel Weisz in THE FAVOURITE
|
Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Christian Bale in VICE
Bradley Cooper in A STAR IS BORN
Willem Dafoe in AT ETERNITY'S GATE
Rami Malek in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Viggo Mortensen in GREEN BOOK
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Performance by an actor in a supporting role:
Mahershala Ali in GREEN BOOK
Adam Driver in BLACKkKLANSMAN
Sam Elliott in A STAR IS BORN
Richard E. Grant in CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
Sam Rockwell in VICE
|
Achievement in cinematography:
COLD WAR
THE FAVOURITE
NEVER LOOK AWAY
ROMA
A STAR IS BORN
|
Achievement in costume design:
THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
BLACK PANTHER
THE FAVOURITE
MARY POPPINS RETURNS
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
|
Achievement in directing:
BLACKkKLANSMAN
COLD WAR
THE FAVOURITE
ROMA
VICE
|
Best documentary feature:
FREE SOLO
HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING
MINDING THE GAP
OF FATHERS AND SONS
RBG
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Best documentary short subject:
BLACK SHEEP
END GAME
LIFEBOAT
A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN
PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE.
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Achievement in film editing:
BLACKkKLANSMAN
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
THE FAVOURITE
GREEN BOOK
VICE
|
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling:
BORDER
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
VICE
|
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score):
BLACK PANTHER
BLACKkKLANSMAN
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
ISLE OF DOGS
MARY POPPINS RETURNS
|
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song):
"All The Stars" from BLACK PANTHER
"I'll Fight" from RBG
"The Place Where Lost Things Go" from MARY POPPINS RETURNS
"Shallow" from A STAR IS BORN
"When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings" from THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
|
Achievement in production design:
BLACK PANTHER
THE FAVOURITE
FIRST MAN
MARY POPPINS RETURNS
ROMA
|
Best animated short film:
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
BAO
LATE AFTERNOON
ONE SMALL STEP
WEEKENDS
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Best live action short film:
DETAINMENT
FAUVE
MARGUERITE
MOTHER
SKIN
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Achievement in sound editing:
BLACK PANTHER
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
FIRST MAN
A QUIET PLACE
ROMA
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Achievement in sound mixing:
BLACK PANTHER
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
FIRST MAN
ROMA
A STAR IS BORN
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Achievement in visual effects:
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
FIRST MAN
READY PLAYER ONE
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
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Adapted screenplay:
THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
BLACKkKLANSMAN
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
A STAR IS BORN
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Original screenplay:
THE FAVOURITE
FIRST REFORMED
GREEN BOOK
ROMA
VICE
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- Source: Academy Awards 2019
