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Neon Sets ‘Paper Tiger’ Awards Categories, Plans First Real Push for a James Gray Film (Exclusive)
Neon plans a major awards campaign for James Gray’s crime thriller *Paper Tiger*, following its acclaimed Cannes premiere and upcoming New York Film Festival opening. The distributor will campaign Miles Teller for best actor, Adam Driver for best supporting actor and Scarlett Johansson for best supporting actress, aiming to secure Gray’s first significant Oscar recognition.
The semi-autobiographical film was made for $15 million and follows a family drawn into danger after an ill-advised business venture attracts the Russian mafia. It will screen at several autumn festivals before opening in selected US cinemas on 13 November and expanding on 20 November; Neon is also promoting best picture and production design, while Gray is due to receive directing honours at three festivals.
In short
- Neon is mounting a major Oscar campaign for *Paper Tiger*.
- Teller, Driver and Johansson have defined acting categories.
- The film reaches cinemas in November.
Explained simply
The Oscars are the annual awards given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and films often compete for recognition in categories such as acting, directing and best picture. Distributors plan campaigns to bring films and performances to voters’ attention, but nominations and awards are decided by Academy members.
James Gray is an American filmmaker whose films often focus on families and crime. Paper Tiger is described as semi-autobiographical: it draws on personal experience, while its story follows a family whose business venture brings them into danger from the Russian mafia.
The campaign comes after the film’s premiere at Cannes, an international film festival, and ahead of its US cinema release. Recognition could raise the profile of Gray’s work and the film’s cast, though festival acclaim and campaigning do not guarantee Oscar nominations.