Obviously, things are still looking different in the September of 2020. A second wave of COVID-19 is trying to make its rounds, and the world is pushing back. Things are opening slowly, but businesses and industries are still apprehensive. As for the film side of things, we’re at the time of year that was usually devoted towards the start of the awards season race: when studios, distributors and festivals dished out their finest work of the year as a means of competing with one another. With a number of festivals having not happened and some still running in a very different way (Venice, TIFF) and various awards shows — like the Academy Awards — getting pushed forwards next year, we’re in a bit of a weird limbo. Many of these precautions were taken to prepare for a different world months after the start of the pandemic. Things aren’t exactly the same as they were in April, but we’re not quite where we’d want to be, let’s be honest.

There are still some films making headlines, including Chloé Zhao’s Golden Lion winner Nomadland, so the season is slowly getting started. However, while these small progressions take place, the delayed blockbuster season is also unfurling. Tenet and Mulan, for instance, are out during a time when the industry gets serious. If the actual awards ceremonies remained on the same dates, we could have been looking at a very strange series of nominees. Luckily, we still have time for the best of the best to shine; a good portion of them may come out in 2021, however (still eligible for the “2020” awards season according to various current academy rules, however). So, once again, this is slightly weird. The awards season as we once knew it is gradually taking off, but it’s clashing with a traffic jam of other schedules and, well, the end of the year. The actual ceremonies next year will encompass as much of 2021 as it will 2020 (since, again, let’s be honest; the strategy of releasing one’s best works as late as possible will likely be used, so that’ll be in late 2020 and early 2021).

Luckily, ceremonies like the Academy Awards are easing up on their nomination rules, including films on a digital platform and the necessity for theatrical releases (likely only for this year); otherwise, we’d have barely any nominees to look forward to. Also, it allows great digital works like Da 5 Bloods and I’m Thinking of Ending Things to have a chance. With film festivals having much smaller programming, it can’t be guaranteed that they will contain most of the key players to the awards season like they usually do. With releases still getting delayed, however, we still have yet to really have an idea as to what the nominees for any ceremony will look like; studios may have to suck it up and go the digital route if they keep waiting on cinemas to open in the Untied States (they’re slowly opening in various states and countries, but they’re not open to a wide enough level that can guarantee returns).

Usually we’re more aware of what the next few months will look like with huge anticipation, as festivals dish out awards, films get reviewed, and predictions come alive. Like everything else in 2020, the awards season is skewed enough to not really carry that feel this time around. I guess we’ll see what the near future holds.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

The Awards Season During a Pandemic