What was the first streaming movie to win an Oscar?
There’s few people out there in our technology-obsessed world who don’t find themselves loading up the Netflix, Amazon Prime or Apple TV app after a long day at work, strapping themselves in for an evening of catching up on the latest episodes of a new show or rewatching old favourites, whether that be a classic sitcom or a beloved comedy movie.
Streaming services have come a long way since the days of scouring the shelves of your local Blockbuster or ordering a DVD from LoveFilm, which would eventually turn into Prime Instant Video. Netflix is the most widely-loved streamer it seems, with 301.6million subscribers worldwide, although it also started off as a DVD rental service, with customers able to send off for their movie of choice between 1998 and 2023 (although we don’t know who sent off for a Netflix DVD after 2009).
As streaming services have become the dominant mode of consuming television and movies – many people don’t even bother with live TV anymore – companies have expanded their networks and begun helming exclusive original material. In 2015, the first Netflix Original movie, Beasts of No Nation, landed on the platform, although the most popular titles have since come to include some dire action films like Red Notice and Carry-On, and the controversial satire Don’t Look Up.
Most streaming platforms now provide original movies, with Hulu offering everything from the horror movie Fresh to the charming rom-com Rye Lane, while Amazon Prime is responsible for the likes of Sound of Metal, Air, and even Saltburn.
What was the first streaming movie to win ‘Best Picture’ at the Oscars?
While many original titles are quite bad, with a large amount of corny teen movies and lifeless action movies clogging up space on Netflix and Amazon Prime, there are some that have landed Academy Award nominations, which is no small feat. There has only been one instance, however, in which a streaming movie has taken home the most coveted prize of all – ’Best Picture’.
In 2021, Apple TV+ released CODA, directed by Sian Heder, and it ended up competing against the likes of Licorice Pizza, The Power of the Dog, West Side Story, and Dune for ‘Best Picture’ at the Oscars. The movie was triumphant, earning the award alongside ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Troy Kotsur and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ for Heder.
The movie follows Emilia Jones as Ruby, the daughter of two deaf parents. As the only member of the family who can hear, she attempts to help her parents with their business while also balancing her own ambitions, with previous Oscar winner Marlee Matlin playing her mother. The movie was highly acclaimed, although members of the deaf community were much more divided, with some viewers praising the representation – something rather rare in the mainstream – while others thought it misrepresented the authentic experiences of many deaf people.
As streaming services continue to fund more expensive and star-studded movies, it seems as though we’re bound to see more original streaming movies compete for the most illustrious prize in the film industry, which is something that many people surely couldn’t have even imagined a decade ago.
