2026–27
Awards Tracker
Following the films, filmmakers and performances shaping the season — with a particular eye on the movies we've seen on the festival circuit.
Awards season changes quickly.
A film that looks unstoppable in September can disappear by January. A performance barely being discussed after the fall festivals can suddenly become impossible to ignore once critics groups, the Gothams, Golden Globes, Actor Awards, BAFTA and other precursors begin weighing in.
That's why we're tracking the season rather than declaring it over before it begins.
The Cup of Soul Awards Tracker follows the films, filmmakers and performances currently generating serious awards conversation — while paying particular attention to the movies we've actually seen on the festival circuit.
Best Picture
Established Conversation
The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan's epic remains one of the most consistently discussed Best Picture contenders heading into the heart of the season.
La Bola Negra
The film already had considerable festival attention before Toronto. Winning TIFF's People's Choice Award substantially strengthens its position heading into the next phase of the season.
Wild Horse Nine ✓ Seen by Cup of Soul
Martin McDonagh's film continues to generate substantial awards attention, with John Malkovich's Venice Best Actor victory providing the campaign with an important early prize.
Building Momentum
Fjord
The Debut
The Invite
Project Hail Mary
I Play Rocky
Watching
All of a Sudden
Dune: Part Three
Elsinore
Club Kid
Being Heumann
Ink ✓ Seen
Possible Love ✓ Seen
Tenzing ✓ Seen
Best Director
Established Conversation
Christopher NolanThe Odyssey
Javier Calvo & Javier AmbrossiLa Bola Negra
Martin McDonagh Wild Horse Nine ✓ Seen by Cup of Soul
Building Momentum
Cristian MungiuFjord
Ryusuke HamaguchiAll of a Sudden
Olivia WildeThe Invite
Watching
Jesse EisenbergThe Debut
Denis VilleneuveDune: Part Three
Lee Chang-dongPossible Love✓ Seen
Danny BoyleInk✓ Seen
Jennifer PeedomTenzing✓ Seen
Best Actor
Established Conversation
Andrew ScottElsinore
Matt DamonThe Odyssey
John Malkovich Wild Horse Nine ✓ Seen by Cup of Soul
Malkovich enters the fall with one of the season's most important pieces of hardware already in hand: Venice's Volpi Cup for Best Actor.
Building Momentum
Sebastian StanFjord
John TurturroThe Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Anthony IppolitoI Play Rocky
Ryan GoslingProject Hail Mary
Tom CruiseDigger
Watching
Jack O'ConnellInk✓ Seen
Mahershala AliYour Mother Your Mother Your Mother✓ Seen
GuitarricadelafuenteLa Bola Negra
Jaafar JacksonMichael
Genden PhuntsokTenzing✓ Seen
Alden EhrenreichA Talent for Murder✓ Seen
Best Actress
Established Conversation
Julianne Moore The Debut
Moore emerged from Telluride and Toronto as one of the performances receiving the most sustained attention in the category.
Building Momentum
Virginie EfiraAll of a Sudden
Renate ReinsveFjord
Sandra HüllerRose
Olivia WildeThe Invite
Ruth MadeleyBeing Heumann
Watching
Rosalind EleazarMisty Green
Léa SeydouxGentle Monster
Inde NavarretteObsession
Jeon Do-yeonPossible Love✓ Seen
Helen MirrenA Talent for Murder✓ Seen
Best Supporting Actor
Established Conversation
Sam RockwellWild Horse Nine✓ Seen
Paul GiamattiThe Debut
Building Momentum
Colman DomingoMichael
John LeguizamoThe Odyssey
GuitarricadelafuenteLa Bola Negra
Edward NortonThe Invite
Watching
Guy PearceInk✓ Seen
John GoodmanDigger
Jeremy StrongThe Social Reckoning
Mark RuffaloBeing Heumann
Willem DafoeTenzing✓ Seen
Tom HiddlestonTenzing✓ Seen
Best Supporting Actress
Established Conversation
Anne HathawayThe Odyssey
Penélope CruzLa Bola Negra / The Invite
Building Momentum
Samantha MortonThe Odyssey
Olivia ColmanElsinore
Sandra HüllerProject Hail Mary
Tao OkamotoAll of a Sudden
Watching
Glenn CloseLa Bola Negra
Mariana Di GirolamoWild Horse Nine✓ Seen
Cho Yeo-jongPossible Love✓ Seen
Jeon Do-yeonPossible Love✓ Seen
Thinley LhamoTenzing✓ Seen
Olivia CookeA Talent for Murder✓ Seen
International Feature Watch
This shouldn't be an afterthought at Cup of Soul. International cinema has become increasingly important throughout the broader awards conversation, and several international titles are already intersecting with the major categories.
Possible Love ✓ Seen
Lee Chang-dong's film left Venice with the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize before playing Toronto.
Watching: International Feature • Picture • Director — Lee Chang-dong • Actress — Jeon Do-yeon • Supporting performances
La Bola Negra
The TIFF People's Choice winner is no longer simply a festival discovery. Its potential reaches across Picture, Director, acting and international-film conversations.
Fjord
The Cannes Palme d'Or winner remains a significant presence in the Picture, Director and acting conversations.
All of a Sudden
Ryusuke Hamaguchi's film gives us another international contender with potential well beyond a single category.
The Cup of Soul Festival Factor
One thing makes this tracker different from simply collecting awards predictions from around the internet.
We've been watching the movies.
Cup of Soul's 2026 festival coverage has taken us through Sundance, SXSW, Cannes and TIFF, giving us firsthand experience with a growing number of films now entering the awards conversation.
Seen by Cup of Soul
As more contenders become available, that list will grow. And when we've seen it, we'll tell you what we think — whether awards pundits agree with us or not.
What We're Watching Next
Can La Bola Negra turn its TIFF win into sustained industry support?
Does Wild Horse Nine expand beyond John Malkovich and become an across-the-board contender?
Can Jack O'Connell break through the crowded Best Actor field for Ink?
Does I Play Rocky's Toronto audience response translate beyond TIFF?
Which international films move into the main Best Picture conversation?
What happens when the major late-season titles finally screen?
Awards seasons rarely end the way they look in September. We'll keep updating the Cup of Soul Awards Tracker as the race changes.
