Award shows can hold some significance if the movies and shows being recognized are uniting people in conversations with each other.
Why should we care about the Oscars when there is still a full-scale war in Ukraine? Or why should we care about the Oscars when people in Yemen lack the necessary food to survive? Should we care about award season when there is so much injustice happening in our world today?
The arguments listed above were originally going to be my reasonings for why we shouldn’t tune into the Oscars or other award shows, but my opinion has been renewed on this. After doing some research about the 2024 Oscars, I realized that there is a potential for meaningful conversations to be cultivated from award shows.
Michael Schulman is a staff writer at the New Yorker, and he tells The Guardian that “It’s rare that we have a movie that unites all of America in conversation right now,” he said.
There used to be films that would bond individuals together and bring unity amongst a group of people. Yet, we live in a political climate that is divided on many different issues, and movies can be a way to connect people again. If actors and film directors can create art that draws individuals to have conversations with each other, then I can see the value in award shows.
If movies are being produced with the mission to unite different groups of people together through laughter or meaning, then award shows can hold some significance to them.
I want to figure out how shows like the Oscars or Grammys can nurture a community for individuals. Movies and music have the power to connect humans to each other, and watching an award show together can bring another component of unification.
It can be a fun activity to have everyone gather around in the same room and share similar interests and passions. During that time people can talk about their love for films,music and how art has the capability to fuel various aspects of connection. However, this means that we need to nourish and create movies and shows that people can resonate with, and find purpose in.
Additionally, the Oscars or other award shows can be valuable because they can raise awareness about needing more diverse films. According to the Washington Post, even though it appeared that women were doing well on screen, behind the screen they were not triumphant.
Stacy L. Smith is a movie industry researcher, and her research found that women directors and leads are not reaching the top 100 movies list.
Smith’s studies showed “that women accounted for only 12 percent of directors of the top 100 movies in 2023; when it came to acting, only 30 of the top 100 films featured a woman in a leading or co-leading role, the same ratio as in 2010.”
For women directors and actresses, it’s important to showcase their wins at the Oscars because it can bring to light that female stories are worthy and necessary to be told. America Ferrera is a Honduran American woman who won a Critics Choice Award for her role as Gloria in the Barbie movie. In her speech, she thanked Greta Grewig, the director of the Barbie movie. She said, “Thank you Greta for proving through your incredible mastery as a filmmaker that women’s stories have no difficulty achieving cinematic greatness and box office history at the same time.”
Award shows can sometimes be viewed as important if the content highlights stories and people who normally don’t get enough recognition. Ferrera is a perfect example of the positive aspects of what award ceremonies can achieve. It can put a spotlight on the need for more diverse voices and individuals in the media.