Timothée Chalamet in Berlin, Demi Moore in Paris: How International Oscar Voters Make ‘Difference Between Winning and Losing’
Under picturesque snowfall and sub-zero temperatures, Timothée Chalamet braved the chill in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz on Friday, stopping to sign autographs for a polite group of fans and collectors. The actor was in town to promote “A Complete Unknown,” his Bob Dylan biopic launching in Germany on Feb. 27 — but let’s be honest, there’s another reason for the European detour: Oscar campaigning.
While none of the eager autograph hunters will be checking his name on a ballot, multiple AMPAS voters later attended the film’s glittering Berlinale screening, making this yet another crucial pit stop on the road to the Dolby Theatre.
More from Variety
A short flight away and two weeks earlier, Demi Moore was making her presence felt at Armani Privé’s spring 2024 show during Couture Week in Paris. Her body horror thriller “The Substance” — directed by Parisian filmmaker Coralie Fargeat — has been making waves all season, with Moore now the frontrunner for her first Oscar. A little fashion-forward reminder in front of France’s industry elite? Pourquoi pas!
Awards campaigning has gone far more global this year, extending well beyond the usual London FYC pit stop. Whether it’s the increasingly international nature of this year’s contenders or simply a deeper understanding of the power of the global vote, studios and strategists have expanded their reach. The shift makes sense, with 22% of AMPAS voters now residing outside the U.S.
“So you’re definitely going to invest in that,” says one awards consultant, who suggests that Netflix first sparked the international drive, with others following suit. “I think you could say it started with ‘Roma,’ which was such a popular Oscar outcome; even if it didn’t win best picture it still won three awards. And then there was ‘Parasite’ winning.”
Adds the consultant: “So I think it has gotten a lot more competitive internationally — for example, it is much harder for me to book screening rooms in Berlin.”
The global vote has been decisive in tight races. Anthony Hopkins’ best actor win for “The Father” (2020) — edging out Chadwick Boseman’s posthumous bid for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” — was largely credited to international members. Last year, many believed Emma Stone’s fearless, Frankenstein-esque performance in “Poor Things” benefited from a similar dynamic against Lily Gladstone’s turn as a tortured Osage woman in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Beyond “A Complete Unknown” and “The Substance,” international campaigning has been in full force for several other contenders. Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning dramedy “Anora” went on an extensive European tour in December. And despite its status as an American epic, Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” has racked up global air miles, with Corbet himself traveling to more than a half-dozen countries for screenings and Q&As.
“Because this year is such a wide-open race, studios are paying more attention to international as it could be the difference between winning and losing,” says another seasoned awards advisor, who adds that London, followed by Paris and Berlin, are the main focal points, but also says Copenhagen is a smart choice for documentary because “there are a lot of doc chapters there.”
That could prove crucial in this year’s stacked documentary feature race, where the harrowing “No Other Land,” which chronicles the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, is considered the frontrunner. But fresh off its DGA victory, “Porcelain War,” which involves Ukrainian artists fighting the Russian occupation, could hold significant appeal among international voters. Interestingly, only two documentaries are nominated at both the BAFTA and Oscars: “No Other Land” and Shiori Itō’s “Black Box Diaries.”
There’s plenty to gain from a strong showing at BAFTA, which hands out its statuettes on Sunday. Leading the nominations are Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller “Conclave” and Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical “Emilia Pérez.” When every studio is praying to win a best picture prize, especially in a wide-open field, every vote counts as voting nears its end on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Meanwhile, on Thursday night in London, Felicity Jones was among the special guests at the Newport Beach Film Festival U.K. and Ireland Honors at the Raffles Hotel, where she picked up the Artist of Distinction Merit. While the award itself won’t move the needle on Oscar night, the extra stage time just days before BAFTA and with Academy voting still open? It’s never a bad thing.
Speaking to Variety before the ceremony, Jones noted how nice to when when “all the work” that went into a campaign and “actually pays off.”
Somebody tell the campaign strategists to book more flights.
See all Academy Award predictions
Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
