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 February 27. However, let’s be honest; there is 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.
A short flight away, 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. This serves as a little fashion-forward reminder in front of France’s industry elite.
Campaigns for awards have gone global this year, extending well beyond the typical London FYC stops. 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,” the consultant remarked. “And then there was ‘Parasite’ winning.”
The competitive landscape has evolved significantly, making it much harder for strategists to book screening rooms in key cities like Berlin. The global vote has proven decisive in close races; for example, Anthony Hopkins’ best actor win for “The Father” in 2020, which edged 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 vigorous for several other contenders. Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning dramedy “Anora” went on an extensive European tour in December. Additionally, despite its status as an American epic, Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” has racked up considerable international air miles, with Corbet himself traveling to over half a 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,” notes another seasoned awards advisor. London, followed closely by Paris and Berlin, remain crucial focal points, but Copenhagen is also a smart choice for documentary campaigns due to its plethora of documentary chapters.
This year, the documentary feature race is especially competitive, with the harrowing “No Other Land,” which explores the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, considered a frontrunner. Fresh off its DGA victory, “Porcelain War,” which depicts Ukrainian artists battling against Russian occupation, could also hold substantial appeal among international voters. Intriguingly, only two documentaries are nominated at both the BAFTA and Oscars: “No Other Land” and Shiori Itō’s “Black Box Diaries.” A strong showing at BAFTA, which hands out its awards on Sunday, could significantly influence the Oscar race. Leading the nominations are Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller “Conclave” and Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical “Emilia Pérez.”
As studios intensely vie for the coveted best picture prize, especially in such a wide-open field, every vote counts now that Academy voting is set to conclude on Tuesday, February 18. Meanwhile, on Thursday night in London, Felicity Jones attended the Newport Beach Film Festival U.K. and Ireland Honors at the Raffles Hotel, where she received the Artist of Distinction Merit. Although this award may not directly impact Oscar night, the extra exposure just days before BAFTA and while Academy voting remains open is undoubtedly beneficial.
Speaking to Variety before the ceremony, Jones expressed how rewarding it is when “all the work” that went into a campaign finally “pays off.” With events like Timothée Chalamet’s Oscar campaign in Berlin taking center stage, it’s clear that campaign strategists need to book more flights and ensure their candidates are seen globally. As the races heat up leading to the Oscars, every moment, including campaigns like this, could prove instrumental for a successful outcome.
