The nominations for next year’s 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced, and Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance has been recognised in multiple categories. However, the way the Hollywood industry has included one of this year’s most unforgettable movies is bound to leave people befuddled.
In the Best Motion Picture for Comedy and Musical category, we have the obvious candidate that was Wicked, the long-awaited adaptation of the POP-U-LAR stage show that retells The Wizard of Oz story through song and dance. We also have Jesse Eisenberg’s helmed black comedy, A Real Pain, set to be released soon in the UK in early 2025. Then the list gets stranger, with Challengers, the otherwise excellent Zendaya-led sports drama, raising an eyebrow. It was not exactly something where the sound of chuckles was frequent. But nothing could prepare me for the completely baffling nomination of The Substance.
This disturbing body horror sees Demi Moore stars as a fading celebrity who injects herself with a cell-replicating substance that literally makes her give birth to a younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley). It combines critical outlooks on the beauty industry as well as themes of misogyny, loneliness and self-loathing. That is exactly what the Comedy section demands, right?
The Substance is a contender for my favourite movie of the year and certainly the most unforgettable experience. I will never forget the night of Halloween when I booked to see it on the last showing. And whilst every aspect made it flawless, including the performances of the two leads, it also left me reeling from its horror elements.
Fargeat, who previously directed the equally violent Revenge, does not pull punches in critiquing the male gaze through unapologetically raw visuals of the female body. This all culminates in a climax that breaks the stratosphere with constant bloodshed that draws shades from David Cronenberg’s The Fly that made me never want to eat again.
It’s very rare you find me peeking through my fingers, too frightened to witness what was shown onscreen. And no, not even a whimper that resembled a chuckle could be heard.
Certainly a very bizarre move from the Globes. While there still is no ‘Horror’ category for the primary award ceremonies, The Substance would have worked best in the Drama section.
That aside, the total of five nominations is gratifying to see. Demi Moore, who delivers the most mesmerising performance of her career, is rightfully nominated, albeit as well as in the Comedy and Musical section. Still, that may incur a surefire victory, as very few, whether the Drama or Comedy nominees, could rival the depths Moore went to in order to birth one of the most depressing and visceral female characters in recent memory.
Here are the full list that The Substance has been nominated for:
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Anora
Challengers
Emilia Pérez
A Real Pain
The Substance
Wicked
Best Director, Motion Picture
Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker – Anora
Edward Berger – Conclave
Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Payal Kapadia – All We Imagine As Light
Best Performance by An Actress In A Motion Picture, Musical, Or Comedy
Amy Adams – Nightbitch
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison – Anora
Demi Moore – The Substance
Zendaya – Challengers
Best Performance by An Actress In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture
Selena Gomez – Emilia Pérez
Ariana Grande – Wicked
Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
Margaret Qualley – The Substance
Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
A Real Pain
Emilia Pérez
The Substance
The Substance is streaming exclusively on distributor MUBI’s own streaming service, but you can also purchase the film Digitally on outlets including Amazon and Fandango at Home.
Next year’s Golden Globes ceremony will take place on January 5, 2025.
