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The best films snubbed at the Oscars
Community February 5 2025 by Sydney Film Festival Staff
The dust has settled on the Academy Award noms and we are officially ready to vent. 😤 The SFF team share their unsung heroes from Hollywood's night of nights.

Nashen Moodley – Festival Director

Payal Kapadia’s ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT is one of my favourite films of 2024 and is so enriching and beautiful and transporting. We were honoured to present it at last year’s Festival, and I would’ve loved to see it among the nominees. Regardless, it is a film that will continue to find appreciative viewers for many, many decades to come.

Justin Martyniuk – Head of Programs

CHALLENGERS was one of my favourites from last year and I share the same despair that even Reznor and Ross’ entrancing score also lucked out. But I stand by this film’s remarkable performances and edit.

I SAW THE TV GLOW was probably always a long shot for the Academy, but I suspect it will stay with its community far longer than other nominees.

Frances Wallace – CEO

One of the most moving and powerful feminist films of 2024 was THERE’S STILL TOMORROW (right up there with THE SUBSTANCE, but hey that got nominated!). This Italian period comedic-drama is such an original film, with Cortellesi achieving the trifecta of directorial debut, co-writer and lead actress. The bravery of the work, shot in black and white, astounded me, alongside the courageous choice to handle domestic violence and women’s rights through the medium of movement/music is genre breaking. Cortellesi for the win – it did win x6 Italian Academy Awards!

Jess Ellicott – Program Manager

Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s performance in Mike Leigh’s HARD TRUTHS will likely stay with me for life. She embodied this profoundly bitter, exhausting character with astounding craft and empathy. I was sad to see it go unrecognised.

Beatrix Brady – Travelling Film Festival Manager

THE ROOM NEXT DOOR deserved a nomination for the mugs alone. Apart from the crockery, all of which I want to own, it’s a really beautiful and gentle film, still with that quirky charm that Almodovar brings to all of his pictures.

Another film I would have loved to see in the nominations is SUJO from Mexico. It’s a very tender exploration of life around Mexican cartels, features some excellent performances, and delivers a gut-punch of an ending, one of the best I’ve seen over recent years.

Joshua Forward – Head of Marketing

CROSSING was a sleeper hit at the Festival that had sold out sessions once everyone had heard how incredible it was. It’s an apt reaction to this film which also sneaks up on you, as this gorgeous, heartfelt, funny and touching journey around Istanbul all delicately builds to become a film bursting with emotions.  

Hint: It’s playing again at the Mardi Gras Film Festival this year so don’t miss it!

Lisa Kitching – Head of Industry & Special Projects

Rich Peppiatt’s KNEECAP is one of the most original music biopics I’ve seen. What’s not to love and admire about a film that combines, politics, the fight to preserve language and cultural heritage, music, drugs and a crazy ride into the world of Irish Rap. Then, the wonderful tongue in cheek performance by Kneecap themselves and the bonus of having Michael Fassbender grace the screen. The night of nights will be missing something in March without the boys taking to the stage and performing their unique take on rap.

Dominic Ellis – Digital Marketing Manager

QUEER is weirder than we’re used to from Guadagnino but in the best way. Daniel Craig is mesmerising – so sweaty and lustful and achingly desperate. One of the year’s best performances.

Payal Kapadia’s ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT is superb. A victim of complicated global film politics, it ended up being no country’s Best International Feature nominee, despite being eligible for France and India. The 13-member all-male jury of the latter justified their decision by saying the film is “very poor technically” – which couldn’t be further from the truth. This is flawless filmmaking and we were lucky to have it at SFF 2024.

Eden Tollis – Head of Philanthropy

The moment I saw the trailer for BALOMANIA I was hooked! I had to know more about the secret world of baloeiros that director Sissel Morell Dargis leads us into and through. I would have loved to see this among the Documentary Feature Films!

Charles Carrall – Festival Administrator

I really enjoyed Alain Guiraudie’s MISERICORDIA and Catherine Breillat’s LAST SUMMER – both a little evil and irredeemable, in that they’re French!

Windsor – Ticketing Systems Administrator

LOVE LIES BLEEDING. A queer romance dripping in limerence – what more could you want? This film goes from strength to strength and had one of my favourite twist endings ever.

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