Jessie Buckley suggests film industry gives too much weight to Oscar campaigns
The actor, who won the Academy Award for best actress this year, was speaking at the BFI and Chanel film-maker awards Jessie Buckley has questioned whether the film industry places too much emphasis on Oscar campaigns at the expense of nurturing emerging talent, suggesting there may be greater potential in supporting film-makers at grassroots level. Speaking at the BFI and Chanel film-maker awards in London, the…
Key points
- Jessie Buckley questioned whether the film industry overvalues Oscar campaigns at the expense of emerging talent.
- Four UK filmmakers received £20,000 each at the BFI and Chanel film-maker awards in London.
- Buckley said supporting up-and-coming filmmakers is essential and not selfish.
Jessie Buckley has questioned whether the film industry places too much emphasis on Oscar campaigns at the expense of nurturing emerging talent. The actor, who won the Academy Award for best actress this year, was speaking at the BFI and Chanel film-maker awards in London.
She was responding to comments by John Malkovich, who said Oscar campaigns were now the only way to get audiences into cinemas. "I think there's truth in that," Buckley told the Guardian.
Support for grassroots film-makers
Buckley, who has made predominantly independent films, said the industry's reliance on film promotion affected not just actors and directors but the wider workforce. "I feel so proud of being part of this community – this affects so many people's lives. Crews, marketing, everybody. And if you don't support it, you're not going to have a job," she said.
She added: "Maybe we've given that too much weight. I wonder if there's more potential in nurturing at a grassroots level than giving so much weight to a marketing Oscar campaign."
I feel so proud of being part of this community – this affects so many people's lives. Crews, marketing, everybody. And if you don't support it, you're not going to have a job.
— Jessie Buckley
Award winners and themes
Four emerging UK film-makers were named recipients of this year's BFI and Chanel film-makers awards, each receiving £20,000 to develop their work. They were announced at a ceremony at Claridge's in London on Wednesday, with Buckley and Gwendoline Christie joining a jury that also included BFI CEO Ben Roberts, Edward Enninful and Marie-Louise Khondji.
The four winning films explored subjects including political protest, racial profiling, female solidarity and family trauma. Rich Felgate was recognised for his documentary We, the Hated, about Just Stop Oil protesters; Olive Nwosu for Lady, set in Lagos; Imran Perretta for Ish, set in Luton; and Rachel Taparjan for Something Familiar, about her search for her missing sisters.
