Netflix vs. the Academy: A Love-Hate Relationship
For over a decade, Netflix has been chasing the most coveted prize in Hollywood: the Academy Award for Best Picture. Despite multiple nominations, the streaming giant has yet to secure a win. While Netflix has dominated other categories, from Best Director (Roma, The Power of the Dog) to Best Documentary (Icarus, My Octopus Teacher), its biggest hurdle remains industry acceptance at the highest level.
The Academy has long been hesitant to fully embrace streaming films, often favoring traditionally released studio productions. Even when Netflix delivered critically acclaimed masterpieces like The Irishman, Marriage Story, and All Quiet on the Western Front, the gold statuette for Best Picture remained just out of reach. Enter Emilia Pérez, a film that seemed poised to break the curse—until controversy took center stage.
How Emilia Pérez Had Best Picture in Its Grip
From the moment Emilia Pérez premiered at Cannes, it was a standout. Directed by Jacques Audiard, the film tackled themes of identity, transformation, and justice, all wrapped in a genre-blending musical format. It won the Palme d’Or and received a record-breaking 13 Oscar nominations, making it the most nominated non-English language film in Academy history.
With such momentum, Netflix saw a clear path to victory. The film checked all the boxes for an Oscar winner—an internationally renowned director, a socially relevant narrative, and critical acclaim. Best Picture seemed not just possible but probable.
The Controversy That Derailed Everything
Then, the backlash began. Emilia Pérez tells the story of a cartel leader transitioning into a new life as a woman, played by transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón. While the casting was widely celebrated, certain aspects of the film’s portrayal of transgender identity sparked debates within LGBTQ+ circles. Was it a groundbreaking step forward or an oversimplification of a complex experience?
Adding fuel to the fire, Gascón’s past remarks about gender identity and criticisms of Mexican culture resurfaced, causing friction in awards discourse. This shift in narrative—from Oscar frontrunner to “polarizing pick”—proved damaging. In a year dominated by Oppenheimer, which had none of these controversies, Emilia Pérez struggled to regain its footing.
Netflix’s Best Picture Curse Continues
Despite Netflix’s aggressive awards campaigns and a willingness to finance auteur-driven projects, the streamer remains shut out of the Best Picture winner’s circle. The Academy’s preference for theatrically released films remains a roadblock, as does Hollywood’s lingering skepticism toward Netflix’s rapid disruption of traditional distribution models.
Films like Roma, The Power of the Dog, and All Quiet on the Western Front all had strong momentum yet lost to films that followed more conventional Oscar trajectories. The Emilia Pérez controversy only reinforced this pattern—Netflix’s most promising contender stumbled at the finish line.
Netflix’s Overall Oscar Performance: Nominations and Wins
Netflix’s presence at the Academy Awards is undeniable. Since its first major Oscar campaign, the streamer has racked up 168 nominations and 26 wins across 24 categories. It has successfully broken barriers in Best Director, Best International Feature, and Best Documentary. However, despite securing multiple Best Picture nominations (Roma, The Irishman, Marriage Story, Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Don’t Look Up, The Power of the Dog, All Quiet on the Western Front, Maestro, and Emilia Pérez), the final victory remains elusive.
Netflix’s greatest successes include:
- Best Director Wins: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
- Best International Feature Wins: Roma (Mexico), All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)
- Best Documentary Wins: Icarus, American Factory, My Octopus Teacher
- Best Supporting Actress Wins: Laura Dern (Marriage Story), Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Animated Feature Wins: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2023)
- Best Cinematography Wins: Roma (Alfonso Cuarón), Mank (Erik Messerschmidt), All Quiet on the Western Front (James Friend)
- Best Original Song Win: “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez
Where Does Netflix Go From Here?
While Emilia Pérez was Netflix’s strongest shot at Best Picture yet, its loss is a reminder that industry acceptance remains an uphill battle. The streaming giant may need to rethink its awards strategy—perhaps embracing longer theatrical runs.
