Oscar Frontrunners Emerge from Fall Festivals, ‘La Bola Negra’ Wins Big at TIFF Finale!

The autumn season for film festivals is at its peak, and following events in Venice, Telluride, and Toronto, potential Oscar favorites are starting to emerge. Certain films gained momentum during their festival premieres while others saw their chances for awards dwindle.

One notable success story from Telluride is the bold documentary about Elizabeth Holmes titled “You Can See Everything.”

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Created by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the film was unexpectedly shown at the Colorado festival where it received glowing reviews, quickly becoming a contender for both Best Documentary and Best Picture (it might also be eligible for other categories, but discussing those could spoil the film, so more details will come after its theatrical release by A24 on October 16).

Oppenheim is becoming a sought-after director this season. He also directed the stylized Chris Hansen/“To Catch a Predator” movie, “Primetime,” which premiered in Venice and has sparked discussions about a potential Best Actor nod for Robert Pattinson. Pattinson’s busy year (including roles in “The Drama,” “The Odyssey,” and “Dune: Part Three”) only adds to the buzz. “Robert is just in a league of his own right now. It’s thrilling to see, and it validates my ‘Twilight’ obsession,” an awards insider remarked.

Another film gaining traction post-TIFF is Amazon MGM’s “I Play Rocky,” which features Anthony Ippolito portraying Sylvester Stallone in his relentless pursuit to land the lead role in “Rocky.” The film is being talked about as one of the festival’s biggest surprises. “‘I Play Rocky’ really resonated with audiences. Anthony Ippolito is so endearing and fought hard for this part, which will likely help his Oscar campaign,” one source noted. Another mentioned, “The film already had strong buzz and test scores before its premiere, but seeing it in person confirmed the hype.”

(If you weren’t at Toronto, catch “I Play Rocky” at the Calabasas Film Festival on September 24!)

Interestingly, Amazon now has two Rocky-themed projects vying for Oscars: the endearing alien from “Project Hail Mary” and the iconic boxer. Quite the situation!

Jesse Eisenberg‘s latest directorial project, “The Debut,” also received a warm welcome at both Telluride and TIFF, with stars Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti earning praise.

Eisenberg also arranged an additional screening in Los Angeles for industry heavyweights who missed the festival screenings. “The screening was phenomenal, blowing the roof off the DGA. Everyone was laughing, and the Q&A with Jesse was captivating,” shared one attendee, adding, “Jesse’s charm and his insights into the filmmaking process really won everyone over. It feels like ‘The Debut’ is a strong contender this year.”

Other standout performances from the festivals include John Malkovich in “Wild Horse Nine,” Rosalind Eleazar in Chris Rock‘s “Misty Green” (“a star is born,” one insider claimed), Andrew Scott in “Elsinore,” and the married acting duo Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz in “Bunker.”

Additionally, films that premiered at Cannes received renewed interest at later festivals, like “La Bola Negra” (winner of the TIFF People’s Choice Award) and Jordan Firstman‘s “Club Kid.”

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Netflix acquired “La Bola Negra” post-Cannes, while A24 picked up “Club Kid.”

However, not all films enjoyed a surge in popularity. Some had less favorable outcomes, though they still remain in the awards conversation.

One such film is “Prima Facie,” which had a mixed reception at TIFF despite early buzz about a possible Best Actress nomination for Cynthia Erivo.

“It’s definitely a divisive film. I personally liked it,” one observer shared, “but it didn’t quite resonate as expected. I’m intrigued to see how it’ll fare in the long run. Cynthia still stands a strong chance due to her compelling performance and her status as a previous nominee.”