In a recent red carpet interview, Sheryl Lee Ralph remarked “I have told people over and over again, the fastest way to an Oscar is either on a pole or have… I’m telling you, sex sells, baby. Sex sells”. This comment sparked controversy online, but when reflecting on this years’ outcomes — and outcomes going back several decades — she was not far off.
“Anora” was one of the biggest winners of the evening, taking home five awards: Best Actress, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Picture and Best Writing of an original screenplay. An independent film it was made with only $6 million. It tells the story of a sex worker, Anora, who falls in love with and marries a wealthy client who is the son of a Russian Oligarch — a bit of a modern Cinderella story.
These wins were not reflective of profit margins, as “Anora” set a record for the lowest domestic ticket sales in Best Picture history. So, what about it caught the Academy’s eye?
The film was edgy, eccentric and not without its profane scenes, a feature quickly becoming a hallmark of Oscar-winning films. In recent years, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts has taken strides to diversify its voting body, resulting in greater overseas membership. Perhaps these changes have played a role in the growing urge to reward female actresses and stories that include or are centered around physical intimacy and sexual freedom. (That’s one way to frame it— the other being that The Academy likes to reward films that provide sexual fantasies to heterosexual men.)
However, The Academy has long recognized films that include sexual themes. 14 actresses have been awarded Oscars for their portrayal of sex workers in the 97 years of the Oscars’ existence, beginning with Janet Gaynor in “Street Angel” (1928). On its own, that’s mildly disturbing and incredibly disproportionate considering every other story that has ever been told about women…. But it is also unsettling in juxtaposition to what we see men receiving the same awards for.
In just the past two years, the award for Best Actress has gone to Emma Stone for her role as a sex-addicted woman, lab-grown by a mad scientist in “Poor Things”, and to Mickey Madison for her role as a sex worker turned trophy wife in “Anora”. On the other hand, Best Actor has gone to Cillian Murphy for his role depicting a nuclear physicist (Oppenheimer), and Adrien Brody for his role depicting a world-renowned architect (The Brutalist).
A few disclaimers: this is not to discredit either of these women’s performances or talent, nor to shame the profession of sex work, which, we can also recognize is admirable, empowering and a story that deserves to be told. Additionally, there is artistic power to sex scenes in film. This argument is also not coming from a place of prudence; sex scenes allow for the depiction of intense emotions and vulnerability, often without speech, in a way that can be incredibly powerful.
However, there is an interesting and troubling precedent in the choice to recognize only those stories which paint women in a sexually vulnerable light. I fear that the push for recognition of female empowerment has forgotten that sex is not the only way to be free. Women can be vulnerable and powerful; women in every realm of life are incredibly dynamic and beautiful, and can be comprehensive representations of their gender on the big screen.
So why is the winning image of women always the one which is risqué and lewd? And is it a coincidence that this narrative also feeds that underlying murmur of need for men to also be a part of the story of female sexual pleasure and liberation? Especially when there also exists a plethora of stories of feminine strength which are not also tied to male dominance.
It seems that the Academy has hacked the art of being “progressive enough”. I suspect that the film industry’s system of selling sex is merely an effort to appear progressive while simultaneously feeding into more traditional tropes for the viewing pleasure of men. But this is just a reflection of broader society, where female liberation is praised until it disrupts male dominance.
As long as there has been film, there have been stories about sex in film, which is somewhat natural, given that sex is a part of life. However, this years’ Academy Awards got me thinking about how we tell these stories of sex, pleasure, liberation and love – some of the most precious aspects of the human experience. What may be missing from these stories we praise on screen, and why?
