For left-leaning Hollywood, the stakes in the Oscar race may seem meaningless given the widespread panic over Donald Trump’s return to office. Get over the shock, though, and you realize we’ve been here before.
In 2017, awards season wins reflected anti-Trump sentiment in Hollywood, with the film unexpectedly winning Best Picture moonlight Just months after the shockwaves of the 2016 election. A sensitive and thrilling look at racial neglect and sexual repression in the shadow of toxic masculinity, the film embodies fragile progressive values and serves as a poignant reminder of the Trump administration’s potential victims to come.
Director Barry Jenkins isn’t afraid to embrace the atmosphere of resistance. in the middle moonlight On the campaign trail in January 2017, just days before the inauguration, he took a moment to talk about the big picture during his acceptance speech before the National Board of Review. “As we make America great again, let’s remember some of the little things about our heritage,” he said, “because there was a time when people like me just weren’t considered.” Even in the face of it, Jenkins reminded Despite insurmountable difficulties, the potential for change remains.
This time around, many of the leading Oscar contenders have memories of disenfranchisement at their core, stories of resilience that point the way forward for the country despite seemingly overwhelming odds. The awards race won’t save American democracy, but it might instill a strong sense of national priorities among the country’s moviegoers. The convergence of entertainment and media has garnered a lot of attention lately, with young people listening to Joe Rogan’s music in the same way that previous generations read Joe Rogan. new york times. This year’s Oscar contenders may not have much of an impact on audiences. But they also use entertainment to advocate for serious change.
Consider some of the most unique images in the current core of Front Runners: a Russian-American gig worker confronting the One Percenters on the tarmac. A closeted trans woman whispers about her desire to come out. The Statue of Liberty hangs upside down, a fragile promise to elated immigrants.
These standout moments — from Oscar contenders Anora, emilia perezand fauvism respectively – wouldn’t feel out of place in a recent US Democratic campaign ad. They reflect the pulse of progressive America, addressing issues of class disparity and oppression, blending dark ambiguities with a faint pulse of hope. They’re Oscar bait and serve a deeper purpose for the season than all the red carpet pageantry and empty virtue signaling.
fauvismIndie writer-director Brady Corbet’s definitive epic centers on Adrien Brody’s Holocaust-surviving architect László Toth who finds refuge in Pennsylvania. Hollywood has never filmed it fauvism But it does feel like home, and the story of Jewish exiles seeking stability is central to the history of the industry. It’s not until the film’s riveting three-and-a-half-hour second half that the journeyman faces a brutal wake-up call from a capitalist benefactor who intends to use him as just another plaything in his wealth’s toy box.
fauvism This book is a thought-provoking and unexpectedly timely testament to the contradictions between America’s promise of immigration and the inequalities that have prevented many from living up to that promise. Arguments in favor of immigration reform often proceed from the position that the United States was built on the concept of a melting pot, but wealthy donors fauvism He never really cared about Laszlo, he just saw it as a ephemeral resource that would be thrown away once it was used up. It argues that real immigration reform requires not only better border policies but also improved treatment of those lucky enough to cross the border.
Those among American citizens who view Donald Trump as a cartoon reality TV character now threatening the American way of life will find much to identify with in the wake-up call Brody’s character goes through. Others eager for Trump’s tougher border controls may not get through barbarian, But the film also proposes a way to engage with them—a reminder that America not only welcomes immigrants because of its ideals, but also relies on their labor to function. To continue to do that, the country must continue to be a sanctuary, not a fortress with spiked walls.
AnoraAt the same time, it’s a paean to the struggle for stability in a country that forces lower-class survivors to run at all costs. The film undergoes a series of sudden tonal shifts—wacky comedy, dark farce, and heartbreak—with a thrilling unpredictability. After an election year filled with divisive rhetoric and uncertainty about the trajectory of the political economy, Anora It’s a barometer of the emotions of many who are uncertain or uneasy about the election’s outcome — right down to the tearful final moments, when two characters brought together by chance melt away in the frustration of their shaky futures.
are equally relevant, emilia perez A cinematic expression of the stirring rallying cry that trans rights are human rights. Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical is a hilarious journey that introduces greatest performer Enter a gritty environment Drug lord. The Netflix film may have divisive some LGBTQ communities due to its frank depiction of the character’s transformation, but the Netflix film’s brilliant song-and-dance numbers normalized its subject matter for viewers who might otherwise be uninterested in it. In this respect, the film is similar to the Oscar-winning Philadelphia Thirty years ago, identity was mainstreamed through familiar cinematic tropes.
The Contender premiered in Los Angeles on Saturday night evil. While Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel will be remembered for a series of riveting performances, evil It is also filled with themes of persecution, ostracism and scapegoating by fascist rulers and their repressive armies. Beneath the candy-coated production values and soaring numbers, viewers may absorb another idea: the horror of a mad ruler expelling innocents.
Producer Marc Platt pulled no punches on the premiere stage, calling his years of books and scripts “very prophetic,” according to social media reports. “I hope you remember what you’re going to see tonight because I think it’s going to resonate with you and make you feel so relevant … and reflect your life right now and the world you live in,” he said.
The compelling musical backdrop illustrates the point: while these contenders have compelling ideas about society’s most pressing obstacles, they are also emotionally resonant pop entertainment, which can make them a more powerful boost than radical slogans Tools for change. Most audiences don’t want lectures. However, stories are easier to swallow. By presenting inaccessible “others” as conflicted ordinary people, these films also hint at new terms for social engagement. Oscar season won’t be reaching out to the Barstool Sports brothers anytime soon, but the current crop of Best Picture contenders makes a big case for more people to listen.
It’s clearer than ever that Hollywood needs the Oscars for more than just the clout its talent is seeking. For a franchise-obsessed industry, this season is an opportunity to find a vision of its ideal self and push America to follow suit.
The 2017 win was moonlight Both reflect and influence efforts for change in the Trump era. The choices the college is about to make can only do the same.
This story appears in the Nov. 13 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
