Jessie Buckley suggests film industry gives too much weight to Oscar campaigns

Jessie Buckley has questioned whether the film industry places too much emphasis on Oscar campaigns at the expense of nurturing emerging talent, suggesting there may be greater potential in supporting film-makers at grassroots level.

Speaking at the BFI and Chanel film-maker awards in London, the actor was responding to comments by John Malkovich, who said Oscar campaigns were now the only way to get audiences into cinemas.

“I think there’s truth in that,” Buckley told the Guardian. “You’ve got to take responsibility for sharing your work. It would be so easy to just go and film and then hide. I wish we could all do that. But I don’t think that’s how it works any more.”

Buckley, who has made predominantly independent films, said the industry’s reliance on film promotion affected not just actors and directors but the wider workforce.

“I feel so proud of being part of this community – this affects so many people’s lives. Crews, marketing, everybody. And if you don’t support it, you’re not going to have a job,” she said.

“Maybe we’ve given that too much weight. I wonder if there’s more potential in nurturing at a grassroots level than giving so much weight to a marketing Oscar campaign.”

Four emerging UK film-makers were named recipients of this year’s BFI and Chanel film-makers awards, each receiving £20,000 to develop their work.

They were announced at a ceremony at Claridge’s in London on Wednesday, with Buckley and Gwendoline Christie joining a jury that also included BFI CEO Ben Roberts, Edward Enninful and Marie-Louise Khondji.

Buckley called for greater support for film-makers working outside established industry structures, pointing to the success of films “made on shoestring budgets”, including Obsession and Backrooms.

“People went to see them because of their quality, not because of the IP or what was deemed successful beforehand,” she said.

“It’s essential that we support up-and-coming young film-makers. It would be completely selfish if we didn’t. At some point we want to pop off this earth, and we need to support the next generation. I want to know what they’ve got to say, what their world looks like.”

The four winning films explored subjects including political protest, racial profiling, female solidarity and family trauma.

Rich Felgate, director, producer and cinematographer of We, the Hated, was recognised for his documentary about Just Stop Oil protesters and the personal consequences of participating in a polarising movement. The jury described the film as “urgent and brave”.

Buckley said it had prompted her to reconsider the role of protest in society. “In our world at the moment, protest seems like such a dangerous act, when historically it’s been essential to democracy,” she said.

“It realigned me and reminded me of how important protest is, and how we can misunderstand the people within that. That we need to understand more and need films like that more.”

Olive Nwosu won for Lady, her feature debut set in Lagos, which follows one of the city’s few female taxi drivers as she becomes drawn into the world of a childhood friend who has become a sex worker. The jury praised Nwosu’s cinematic ambition and her handling of challenging material.

Imran Perretta was recognised for Ish, a black-and-white coming-of-age film set in Luton’s South Asian and Middle Eastern community. It follows two 12-year-old best friends whose relationship is tested after a police stop and search.

The jury praised its exploration of racial profiling and the experience of being British while being treated as an outsider.

Rachel Taparjan won for Something Familiar, her debut feature documentary about her search for her missing sisters after being adopted from Romania and brought to the UK as a child. The jury praised the film’s “naked, unselfconscious revelation of self”, saying it had stayed with them longest.

Christie said the strength of this year’s field meant the jury had concluded it “couldn’t just select three winners”.

The awards, which celebrate creative audacity and ambition, have run since 2022. Previous recipients include Harry Lighton, whose film Pillion won best British independent film at the British independent film awards in 2025, and Savanah Leaf, who received the 2024 Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.