Letterboxd, the social network for film enthusiasts, has launched a new limited podcast series covering this year’s awards season from now until the 95th Academy Awards in March.
The 12-part weekly series titled Best in Show is hosted by Letterboxd’s West Coast editor Mia Vicino, who also hosts the network’s weekly Weekend Watchlist podcast discussing the newest movies in theatre.
“This podcast is about pushing against the structure of the breathless ‘horse-race’ approach to awards season, and reclaiming this time of year as a means of championing and uplifting the art and artists we love, rather than tearing down those we don’t,” said Vicino.
Vicino is joined by co-hosts Brian Formo, Letterboxd’s editorial producer and Hollywood veteran film critic, as well as editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood, who also hosts movie-discussion podcast The Letterboxd Show.
The podcast follows Letterboxd’s annual Year In Review 2022 retrospective on the best films to have come out in the past year covering categories like the highest-rated, most popular, trends, most-anticipated, and more.
“As Rowlf and Kermit once sang: ‘You can’t live with ‘em, you can’t live without ‘em, there’s something irresistible-ish about ’em,’” said Gracewood. “They were singing about lady Muppets, but that’s how I feel about awards for movies.”
“Giving out trophies for art is nuts, but we also love when art wins,” added Gracewood. “It’s about recognition, not competition.”
The Best in Show podcast will cover nominations and updates from this quarter’s award season, recaps of previous highlights and reviews of films from this past year, as well as sharing stats and trivia, playing games and interviewing Hollywood industry insiders and contenders.
Guests that will feature in the show include CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences Bill Kramer, costume and production designer Catherine Martin, who won four Academy Awards for Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby, and cinematographer Roger Deakins who won two Academy Awards for films and 1917 and Blade Runner 2049.
“Let’s not forget, awards season is fun,” said Formo. “Awards are markers of life, as much as any other big events—for those on stage getting their trophies, and for us at home in suburbs far from Hollywood.”
