Jessie Buckley says film industry must nurture grassroots ‘rather than giving so much weight to an Oscar campaign’
Jessie Buckley has questioned whether the film industry gives Oscar campaigns too much weight, arguing that more support for emerging film-makers at grassroots level could help sustain the wider workforce and bring new voices to audiences. Speaking at the BFI and Chanel film-maker awards in London, she said promotion matters, but films made on small budgets can find audiences through their quality.
Four UK film-makers each received £20,000 to develop their work. Their films address political protest, racial profiling, female solidarity and family trauma; Buckley said the documentary We, the Hated prompted her to reflect on protest’s importance to democracy. The other recognised films were Lady, Ish and Something Familiar.
- Buckley urges more grassroots support for emerging film-makers.
- Four UK winners received £20,000 each.
- Their films explore protest, identity and family.
New here? Start with this
Oscar campaigns are the publicity efforts used to draw attention to films and persuade Academy voters to consider them for awards. They can raise a film’s profile, but they also require time and money, so larger productions may be better placed to mount them.
Grassroots support can include funding, training and opportunities for emerging film-makers to develop and show their work. Awards and development grants are one way of providing that support, helping sustain the people and range of voices that contribute to the UK film industry.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The industry should put more weight on grassroots support because emerging film-makers need resources, opportunities and audiences to sustain a diverse workforce and bring new voices to screen. Oscar campaigns can absorb significant attention and resources, while the quality of modestly funded films may be enough to find audiences if those films receive meaningful support.
The case against
Oscar campaigns can help films reach wider audiences, attract investment and sustain the careers and companies that make future work possible. Promotion and grassroots development need not compete: a successful campaign can raise a film’s profile and generate attention that benefits the broader industry, while awards recognition can reward achievement as well as marketing.