Netflix and Amazon fall short on Best Picture Nomination
“Chiraq” and “Beasts of No Nation” miss out on Best Picture Nomination.
Last week, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the list of nominees for this year’s Oscars. The big winner was “The Revenant,” which snagged 12 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Dicaprio), and Best Director (Inarritu). Other Best Picture nominations included Mad Max, Spotlight, and The Martian, among others. Of course, most of that has been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the lack of diversity in certain categories.
Outside of the controversy, there were two movies that made news for not receiving nominations: “Chiraq” and “Beasts of No Nation.” The reason is because both were productions of OTT providers. “Chiraq” was an Amazon film while “Beasts of No Nation” premiered on Netflix. This would have been the first year that either provider received a Best Picture nomination.
Both Amazon and Netflix have had huge success in television and in documentaries. Amazon has scored big with “Transparent,” which recently won Best TV Series at the Golden Globes and Best Actor (Jeffrey Tambor). Netflix has scored with “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards.” Additionally, Netflix has had documentary success. They have previously been nominated for “The Square” and “Virunga,” and this year they received two more for “What Happened, Miss Simone” and “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom.” This success has made Amazon and Netflix major players in both fields. Now, it appears, they are making progress with feature films. And it is only a matter of time until the nomination comes.
Already, major players have shown they are nervous. When Netflix made the decision to release “Beasts of No Nation” without the typical exclusivity period reserved for chains, the chains refused to show the film. For them, Netflix is a threat to their model.
As Variety noted, big distributors rely on ticket sales. Netflix makes money through its subscribers. It provides more flexibility for Netflix and as more people opt to stay home for their entertainment, the market is only growing. “Netflix will have to prove its value to theater owners,” president of the National Assn. of Theatre Owners, John Fithian, said at the time. If trends continue, that day won’t be far away.
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