The Road Between Us director Barry Avrich says film buyers are still uneasy about content deemed political versus simply giving their audience the option to watch films or not.Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
There is this wonderful scene in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz in which Roy Scheider’s character, Joe Gideon, an obvious caricature of Fosse himself, wakes up each morning, presses play on his tape recorder, and as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons blasts him to consciousness, downs a handful of pills, splashes cold water on his face, looks at himself in the mirror and yells out, “It’s showtime folks!”
As my film The Road Between Us has officially entered the unlikely race for the Academy Awards, the past two months have made me feel like Joe Gideon each morning, minus the pills. The chaotic odyssey from the Toronto International Film Festival’s withdrawal of the film to it then hosting its world premiere in front of a sold-out audience of 1,800 to subsequently playing dozens of film festivals and preparing for its release in a conflicted and divisive entertainment landscape has been sobering and yet fulfilling.
Not unlike the TIFF controversy, film buyers are still uneasy about content deemed political versus simply giving their audience the option to watch films or not. I am proud that select industry players, once they saw the film, said, more or less, we will let our audience decide. That is the mission of any legitimate festival, streamer or broadcaster. When faced with tough choices, conversation and debate, you will not please everyone.
Kate Taylor: The Road Between Us documentary leaves much unsaid about Oct. 7, Israel and Gaza
This brings me to the Oscars. It’s not my first rodeo qualifying a documentary for this extremely complicated race. It is nearly impossible to navigate and even comprehend the dark art of nominations. The “big” feature films and commissioned docs – meaning a broadcaster or streamer made the film versus simply acquiring it – have millions of dollars to spend on what is called FYC (for your consideration) marketing campaigns, exclusive screening for voters and Oscar strategists, who try to generate buzz going into the race.
I used to watch in awe as the notorious producer Harvey Weinstein became the king of the Oscars with lavish campaigns each season for his films such as Chicago, The King’s Speech, The English Patient and his most controversial win of them all, Shakespeare in Love over the seemingly sure bet Saving Private Ryan. Weinstein was ruthless. He employed massive teams to get the word out, bought millions of dollars in New York Times ads and Sunset Boulevard billboards and even went to Hollywood nursing homes to canvas for votes from retired voters. He knew every vote counted.
The documentary world is different. It is precious and even more exclusive. I am giving it the best push I can, but it is hard. Here is how it works: No. 1: Your film must either play theatrically for seven days in both Los Angeles and New York or alternatively, have won a qualifying award at a festival specified on the Academy’s list (only shorts at TIFF qualify). No. 2: Your film can not have had any kind of streaming or broadcast prior to or during the qualifying period.
Retired Israeli Major-General Noam Tibon from the documentary The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue. The film retells Noam's rescue of his family during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack.Supplied
Once you qualify, the documentary branch of the Academy votes to determine the short list of films for both the Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short Film categories. The process involves several rounds of voting and has specific eligibility requirements. This year, they will screen 201 films and members vote by secret ballot, ranking up to 15 motion pictures in order of their preference. The 15 films that receive the most votes advance to the next round, forming the official short list. Then the members view the 15 shortlisted films and vote for up to five in order of their preference. The five films that receive the highest number of votes become the final nominees for the Best Documentary Feature Film Oscar. Lord help me.
But the hard work is getting on that short list of 15 films, the stage we are at now. For our film, with limited marketing means, it has meant select screenings for voters, targeted FYC marketing pushing voters to the Academy portal to watch the film and strenuous attempts to get the buzz going. The TIFF controversy gave the film buzz and awareness in Hollywood, but no sure path forward. We will know in a few weeks whether we made the short list, as the voting begins Dec. 8.
So as I wake up, splash the cold water on my face and yell, “It’s showtime folks!” I am realistic that the Oscar journey is most likely just a dream. The best award of all, however, was receiving the People’s Choice Documentary Award at TIFF this year. As Martin Scorsese told me once, “You don’t make pictures for Oscars, you make them for the audience.”
The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue is available to buy or rent Dec. 16 on-demand via Amazon and Apple.