The actress, hailed for her performance in the independent film, released quietly last spring, invites herself to the Oscars. An investigation has been launched to verify whether the rules have been respected.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars, has announced it is conducting a “campaign procedural review” of this year’s nominees after an independent film surprised Hollywood with the prize.
Every year, the heavyweights of the 7th art embark on a relentless campaign to obtain one of these famous golden statuettes. Everyone has their own strategies and tips, but everyone must follow specific rules.
The feature film To Leslie, a portrait of a Texas single mother worn down by the vagaries of life, did not shine at the box office last spring, amassing barely 27,000 dollars. The film was not even released in France.
But Andrea Riseborough, who plays the lead role, managed to place herself among the nominees for “best actress” last week, beating stars like Viola Davis.
And this after his talents were touted on social media, insistently and at the last minute, by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Edward Norton Where Cate Blanchett. Kate Winslet went so far as to say that Andrea Riseborough had delivered “one of the finest performances” of her life as a spectator.
Fair and ethical
Effective campaign or cheat? The nomination has in any case questioned, so that the Oscars have been inundated with calls and e-mails, according to the specialized magazine variety. On Friday, the organization said it was looking into this season’s campaign, in a statement that did not directly mention or To Leslienor Andrea Riseborough.
“The Academy’s goal is to ensure that the competition for the Oscars is conducted in a fair and ethical manner,” she said.
“We are conducting a review of campaign procedures around this year’s nominees, to ensure that no rules have been broken and to understand if changes to these guidelines are needed in a new era of social media and digital communication. .”
The Academy reaffirmed its “confidence in the integrity of (the) voting and nomination procedures”, and its support for “genuine grassroots campaigns for outstanding performance”.
200 votes to be nominated
The Oscars are awarded by the approximately 9,500 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, divided among the 17 branches of the industry. That of the actors comprising approximately 1,300 voters, a candidate needs a little more than 200 votes to see his name in the casting of the nominees.
In the months leading up to the Oscars, parties and events are organized to promote the films, while their posters populate the billboards of Los Angeles. Campaigns often orchestrated by specialized companies, at a prohibitive price for low-budget works such as To Lesliewhich was absent from this circuit.
The decision to open an investigation into the appointment of Andrea Riseborough did not please everyone. Director Paul Schrader, known for writing Taxi Driver and outspoken, said on her Facebook page: “She has my vote. Go ahead, investigate me.”
