Paul Thomas Anderson, Chloé Zhao, and Josh Safdie—some of this year’s awards season heavy hitters
Awards season shifts into high gear with a handful of major awards revealing their winners in the next seven days. While these early picks rarely predict the eventual Oscar winner, they set the tone for which films enter the conversation with serious heat. Here’s what’s coming:
- Gotham Awards (Dec. 1): Used to only recognize films under $35M, but ditched that cap in 2023, opening the door for bigger studio films to compete alongside true indies. Past winners like Spotlight, Moonlight, and Everything Everywhere All at Once all went on to win Best Picture.
- New York Film Critics Circle (Dec. 2):Â One of the most prestigious groups, but their picks rarely align with the Academy. They've matched the Best Picture winner only once in the past decade ('The Artist').
- National Board of Review (Dec. 3):Â Known for creating early momentum that typically evaporates by Oscar night.
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association (Dec. 7): Their bold picks often become awards season forces. Recent winners Anora, The Hurt Locker, Moonlight, and Parasite'all won Best Picture.
- Plus:Â Film Independent Spirit Awards (Dec. 2) and Critics Choice Awards (Dec. 5) will announce their nominations this week.
Looking ahead… History shows patience pays off. The race doesn't truly take shape until the guilds weigh in come January.
What films are on your Oscars shortlist? Log in and share your thoughts in the comments.
