The tides are shifting in Hollywood, and the proof is in this year’s Oscar winners list. With a wave of first-time winners taking the stage yesterday, the Academy Awards are reflecting an industry in flux – one where tradition no longer dictates success, and new voices are finally breaking through.
The old guard of predictable prestige films and repeat winners is making way for a generation of filmmakers, actors, and creatives who are bring fresh perspectives, global narratives, and unexpected genre choices to the forefront. And can we just say – it's about damn time.
The Academy Awards have long been known for rewarding industry stalwarts – directors with multiple nominations, actors with decades of work behind them, and studios with deep Hollywood roots – a sentiment that has seen the awards show called 'dated' and 'inaccurate' and which certainly tarnished their reputation as the most prestigious recognition in film. But now, a year full of first-time winners feels suggestive of a willingness to embrace new talent and storytelling perspectives, rather than defaulting to the usual suspects.
And while we're seeing a recalibration of what ‘awards-worthy’ means, with indie studios, international films, and unconventional storytelling commanding the spotlight, we're also wondering what exactly has been the catalyst. Why are the Oscars finally letting the new kids sit at the table?
A changing Academy
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been in the process of (slowly) diversifying its membership in recent years, bringing in more international voices, younger voters, and those from underrepresented backgrounds (the BBC reported that in 2020 the Academy had doubled the number of female members, and tripled their members of colour). Of course, it's important to note that this shift was in direct response to criticism over the lack of representation – most notably the #OscarsSoWhite movement in 2015. But representation is still representation and we're happy to see the fruits of this program (especially in a time where DEI has suddenly become a dirty word) and find that the Academy expanded its membership, inviting more international filmmakers, younger industry professionals, and creatives from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
As of 2024, nearly 34% of Academy members identify as women, and 20% come from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, marking a shift from the institution's traditionally insular voting body. It's an evolution that has led to more global recognition at the Oscars, with films like Parasite (2019) making history as the first non-English-language Best Picture winner and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) sweeping major categories with a cast and crew that were largely non-white. The 2023 ceremony saw Michelle Yeoh become the first Asian woman to win Best Actress, while Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American person to be nominated in the category the following year.
And in 2025, the first-timers swept. Wicked's Paul Tazewell became the first black man to win an Oscar for costume design, and FLOW became the first Latvian film to be nominated and to win an Oscar. Zoe Saldaña noted the she was "the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award" in her speech, and an entirely independent film Anora won the evening's top award.
Recognition of pop culture fatigue
The Oscars' embrace of newcomers this year may signal a broader shift in Hollywood’s recognition of pop culture fatigue – an exhaustion with formulaic prestige films and the repetition of familiar faces in awards circuits. The burgeoning popularity of Indie studios like A24 and Neon, the shift toward horror – historically a genre largely overlooked by the Academy – being lauded, and the increase in appetite and recognition for international films all seem to indicate that people are hungry for something original. Not the same over-flayed Marvel franchises or Streep-led historical biopics (sorry Meryl, you are collateral damage here, but we love you).
In awarding first-time winners, the Academy is acknowledging the evolving landscape of cinema, where audiences gravitate toward works that feel urgent, unexpected, and culturally resonant rather than the polished predictability of traditional Oscar contenders. Even films like The Brutalist this year went profoundly against the grain of audiences' short attention spans and opted to keep its three-hour and 35-minute runtime, instead adopting a mid-film intermission – defying the modern mandate that cinema must compress, accelerate, and accommodate distraction, and proving that narratives can still have power while refusing to conform to the rhythms of an algorithm-driven age.
Overall, this shift may reflect an appetite for films that disrupt rather than conform – genre-bending narratives, international voices, and formally innovative storytelling that challenges the notion of what constitutes ‘awards-worthy’ cinema (The Substance, let's be real, would never have gotten a look in 10 years ago). It suggests a recalibration of prestige, one that aligns more with cultural impact and relevance than industry legacy.
Where to from here?
The obvious answer is – so much farther. While it's nice to see gains in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion across the film industry it's certainly not an equal playing field yet. And sadly, we've seen some very serious moves made by governments to try to reverse advances in these areas – for people of colour, for trans people, for foreign relations and for women. While yes, it's great to have firsts – real equity is about getting seconds, and thirds. Halle Barry is still the only black woman to have won Best Actress – this year was the 97th Academy Awards. Last week on Trevor Noah’s What Now? podcast, Barry relayed her fatigue: “I hope this year, someone stands next to me. This year, I hope it happens. Because I’m tired of occupying that space alone.”
Michelle Yeoh opened her Best Actress acceptance speech in 2023 with a line that become ubiquitous at the past few ceremonies – "For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight... this is a beacon of hope and possibilities." Even Sean Baker's acceptance speech for his Best Picture win with Indie flick Anora rang true with a similar sentiment – a rallying call to keep supporting truly independent filmmaking: "This film was made on the blood, sweat and tears of incredible indie artists, and – um – long live independent film!" These battle cries from what used to be considered Oscars outsiders are important, but the real question is, will this be a fleeting moment, or the start of a lasting transformation?
Progress has always come in fits and starts, and Hollywood’s history proves that systemic change is neither linear nor guaranteed. The Academy’s recognition of new voices this year is a step in the right direction, but for it to be more than a symbolic gesture, the industry needs to ensure that these shifts in storytelling and representation aren’t just trends but an enduring redefinition of what excellence in cinema looks like. That means continued expansion of Academy membership to reflect the global film landscape, stronger funding pipelines for underrepresented filmmakers, and sustained industry-wide support for independent and non-traditional storytelling. It means studios taking risks on diverse talent at every level, from directors to costume designers, not just in awards seasons but in greenlighting projects in the first place. It means ensuring that international and genre films aren’t just novelty contenders but mainstays in the race. Because in the end, awards aren’t just about legacy – they’re about the future. And if this year’s Oscars have taught us anything, it’s that the future belongs to those who dare to tell a different story.
