Last year, around this time, the discussion about Netflix and the idea of what is a “real movie” was centered around the Cannes Film Festival, as that event began enforcing rules that prevented the streaming service from competing for the coveted Palme d’Or. This year, however, the discussion isn’t centered around Cannes (actually, that fight still might be coming, we shall see), but instead, Netflix has to face criticism from one of the biggest filmmakers of all time and the governing body behind the Oscars.
After an awards season that saw Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” earn a ton of praise and trophies, including three Oscars last weekend, it would appear that the Academy is going to re-evaluate it’s stance on the streaming service thanks, in part, to Steven Spielberg’s insistence that Netflix films should only compete for Emmys.
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According to IndieWire, Spielberg is on the front lines of this battle, and the filmmaker will voice his concerns at the upcoming Academy Board of Governors meeting scheduled for April.
A spokesperson for Amblin Entertainment said, “Steven feels strongly about the difference between the streaming and theatrical situation. He’ll be happy if the others will join [his campaign] when that comes up [at the Academy Board of Governors meeting]. He will see what happens.”
The Academy backed up that information by saying, “Awards rules discussions are ongoing with the branches. And the Board will likely consider the topic at the April meeting.”
Now, the question is, how will the Academy and Spielberg create new qualifications or rules that would somehow eliminate films like “Roma” from earning Oscars? It may not be as simple as you would think.
READ MORE: Steven Spielberg Thinks Netflix Films Are ‘TV Movies’ And Shouldn’t Compete For Oscars
The largest criticisms surrounding Netflix and how it campaigns for awards are the amount of money spent on wooing voters and the fact that the streaming service plays hard and fast with theatrical release rules. However, if the Academy begins to enforce stricter rules, it could be at the detriment of those smaller films that earn awards nominations.
As an example, let’s talk about the theatrical release schedule. With “Roma,” Netflix released the film exclusively in theaters for three weeks before launching it on the streaming service. Sure, the company never reported box office (which isn’t a rule) and yes, the film didn’t have a post-theatrical window before releasing on the streaming service (also, not a rule), but instead, the film played in more theaters and for longer than many of its fellow Best Foreign Film nominees.
Other films in that category mostly played the bare minimum to qualify, which includes a one-week release in New York or LA and critical write-ups. So, if you make it more difficult for Netflix to qualify, then you also, in turn, make it more difficult for so many more smaller indie films to qualify. You see the issue, huh?
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As for the campaigning that Netflix did, there’s really no way to rein that in. Much like the US political system, money rules and Netflix has a ton of it, which it loves to spend on awards campaigns. That’s just the nature of the beast.
So, Spielberg and the Academy are going to talk about rules to limit streaming services from dominating the Oscars conversation, however, will anything come of it? And what will be the collateral damage? We’ll soon find out.
