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In light of a Netflix film entering the Best Picture race at the Academy Awards this year, Steven Spielberg made waves when he spoke out against streaming platforms such as Netflix. He claimed that, without a theatrical release, films are little more than television movies and therefore, should not be eligible for The Academy Awards. Steven Spielberg is an iconic figure in Hollywood, one of the biggest influences of modern blockbusters. He’s a filmmaker that deserves respect. That doesn’t mean he’s not severely out of touch in his recent vendetta against streaming.
While arguments about Netflix’s ability to spend a larger awards campaign budget hold some weight, that has more to do with the issues of awards season rather than streaming. After all, in a world where Vice and Bohemian Rhapsody, two films with lukewarm critical reception, are both nominated for Best Picture, its clear the Oscar goes to the best awards campaign, not the best film. Tossing that bit of the argument aside though, here is a breakdown of why awarding films distributed by streaming giants can only help the Academy by appealing to wider audiences.
