The Award Show Epidemic: Is The Award Scene Oversaturated or Underrated?
Maddie von Malmborg discusses the world’s most anticipated award shows- have we finally had enough?
In recent years, the glitzy world of award shows has come under scrutiny for a range of issues, such as lack of diversity or an increase in influencers taking the spotlight from cast and crews of nominated awards. Once a highlight of the industry, nights like the Oscars and The Golden Globes have become victims of the accusation of “profit over people” and lead us to wonder what comes next.
On a night like the Academy Awards, one would hope trending hashtags would be in relation to the nominated films or actors in attendance. But in 2016, another one took social media by storm – #OscarsSoWhite followed the second year running, in which all 20 nominations in the acting categories were white. As of March 2023, 81% of the voting academy are white, reflecting the absence and silencing of people of colour in Hollywood, and showing the Academy as remaining unwilling to change and consequently presenting itself as a thing of the past. This can change by recognising diverse talent and a wide range of talents, as seen in the sweep of awards Everything Everywhere All at Once mustered in 2023.
Following this, the 2020 Oscars came under similar criticism for a complete absence of female directors, including Greta Gerwig for Little Women, fuelling similar discussions on the lack of celebration for talented women in the industry. Although it can be observed that award shows are trying to make reparations for their past mistakes, year after year they perpetuate this white male-dominated narrative in Hollywood. On a similar note, the public’s current awareness of the #MeToo movement and its origins in the film industry has changed our opinions on the ruling body of the shows–after all, Harvey Weinstein was previously a voting member of the Academy. There is an increased awareness of what goes on behind closed doors, and the ethical ambiguity in past and present nominees and winners gives the award shows a certain foul taste. Whilst it is typically an enjoyable night and is hugely impactful to box office turnout in a time of falling cinema visitors, audiences are more conscious than ever before of the reality of these evenings, especially their certain unwillingness to modernisation and evolving to recognise a change in the industry in the 21st century.
As well as this, award shows are being repeatedly accused of steering clear of their original purpose – to honour talent. Instead, it is seen as an opportunity for influencers and unrelated celebrities to dress up and make the most of their fifteen minutes of fame. The new emphasis on the red carpets and the designer frocks sported appears to overshadow the main event, consequently suggesting they have altered their traditions to stay relevant and trending in the digital age, as opposed to focusing on sharing true talent and celebrating these films, albums and TV shows that are directly impactful to online culture. An emerging pattern primarily in the Grammy’s is also that nominations are only considered if they are marketable to a wide audience and can be popular on radio shows and social media platforms. Therefore, many deserving artists are never considered because it is thought that their music is too ‘out there’ and would be a stain on the already low reputation of these organisations.
The changing patterns of consumption (i.e. Streaming services and illegal streaming sites) have also heavily influenced what is award-worthy. Award shows must adapt to this to remain relevant in their original purpose of celebrating talent, despite claims of prioritising higher budget and A-List celeb productions.
While award shows play a crucial role in acknowledging talent and contributing to the cultural conversation, it comes with a long list of flaws and controversies. Continuous efforts to address diversity and industry politics must be addressed to ensure these ceremonies genuinely honour the diverse range of talents that contribute directly to the arts.
Words by Maddie von Malmborg
(Cover Image Credit: Chris Pizzello)
