The Oscar rule that explains why ‘Sinners’ didn’t select Hailee Steinfeld’s soundtrack tune for Best Original Song
In terms of awards potential, Sinners couldn’t have been better designed for maximum impact. The Ryan Coogler-directed vampire thriller has a virtuosic performance from a certified movie star, impeccable production design and costuming, lush large-format cinematography, a stirring score, and near-universal audience adoration. Since Sinners hits theaters in April, however, other films have come out with similar bona fides, including perhaps its stiffest awards competition, One Battle After Another. But there’s one extra box that Sinners ticks that makes its potential Oscars berth even more complete.
The soundtrack is rife with original songs.
The awards plan for Sinners campaign for Best Original Song came into sharper focus last week when it was revealed that Warner Bros. would be submitting two songs, “I Lied to You” by Raphael Saadiq and the film’s composer, Ludwig Göransson, and “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” by Alice Smith, the film’s breakout Miles Caton, and Göransson.
The selections make a good amount of sense for a number a reasons. “I Lied to You” is a key element of one of the film’s most memorable sequences, the literal barnburner that pierces the veil of time.
“Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” plays as the end credits begin to roll and offers another nomination opportunity for Caton, who is currently sitting in ninth in Gold Derby’s Best Supporting Actor nomination predictions.
The Academy’s rules state that “No more than three songs from any one film may be submitted for Original Song, regardless of writer(s),” which leaves room for one more song to have made the cut. It, however, likely that Warner Bros. was looking to avoid splitting votes too much.
But what could have potentially filled that third slot?
The rule also make it clear that not every original song written for a given film can be submitted. “There must be a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition (not necessarily visually presented) of both lyric and melody, used in the body of the motion picture or as the first new music starts in the end credits,” the guidelines read.
That principle eliminates tracks like “Dangerous,” which star Hailee Steinfeld wrote and performed for the soundtrack, but would have allowed “Pale, Pale Moon” or “Travelin,'” which Caton memorably performs while riding in a car with Jordan. It is worth remembering, however, that this discussion is limited to Oscar consideration, so awards like the Grammys in its visual media category, are still very much on the table.
What do you think of Sinners‘ decision to submit only two songs? Were the right songs chosen? Weigh in in the comments below.
