Oscar Dream Shattered: Academy Rejects Documentary ‘Kiss the Future’ Despite Wide Release

Producers Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Sarah Anthony Challenge Academy’s Decision Over Technical Rule, Citing Film’s Relevance Amid Global Conflicts

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has denied a request from producers Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Sarah Anthony to reconsider their documentary *Kiss the Future* for Oscar eligibility. The film, which chronicles the 1990s siege of Sarajevo and the role U2’s music played in inspiring the city’s residents during the conflict, was ruled ineligible for a seemingly minor technical reason despite its widespread theatrical release.

*Kiss the Future* had an impressive run, screening in over 130 AMC theaters across the U.S.—one of the broadest releases for a documentary post-pandemic. However, the Academy found that the film did not meet the requirement of being shown three times a day in a qualifying market such as New York or Los Angeles, a stipulation under the Academy’s strict eligibility rules.

In an August 20 letter to the Academy’s “Awards Committee and Documentary Branch Executive Committee,” the filmmakers—Damon, Affleck, and Anthony—expressed their frustration. They detailed the documentary’s prestigious festival screenings at Berlinale, Tribeca, and Sarajevo and its subsequent wide release by AMC in February 2024. Despite playing hundreds of times in theaters nationwide, a programming oversight meant the film didn’t meet the daily screening requirement in Los Angeles or New York.

“We tried to live up to the spirit of the Academy by opting for a wide theatrical release,” Anthony told *Deadline*. She emphasized that while *Kiss the Future* far exceeded the minimum required number of screenings, the technical violation hinged on a single theater’s programming error. “It’s shocking to be disqualified over something like this, especially when one theater playing the requisite number of screenings was just 30 miles outside the qualifying area.”

Nenad Cicin-Sain, director of *Kiss the Future*, was similarly devastated by the Academy’s decision. “We believed a wide release would serve the film best,” he explained. Originally, the film had planned a limited New York release in December 2023, which would have qualified it for the 2024 Oscars. But when AMC proposed a wider release, the filmmakers postponed their awards submission, assuming they could resubmit for the 2025 Oscars. The Academy had approved this change.

However, a different obstacle arose: the documentary premiered on Paramount+ in May 2024. As a result, the Academy deemed it ineligible for future theatrical qualification. “They’re enforcing the letter of the rule, not the spirit of it,” Cicin-Sain said, voicing his frustration that a programming detail could disqualify a film that had been shown in so many theaters across the country.

According to Academy rules under “Rule Twelve: Special Rules for the Documentary Feature Film Award,” films must be screened at least three times daily for seven consecutive days in one of six qualifying U.S. metro areas, with at least one screening between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. The filmmakers argued that while they missed this requirement in Los Angeles and New York, other theaters nationwide met it. However, the Academy stood firm.

Despite the setback, *Kiss the Future* remains a critical success, boasting a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Featuring interviews with U2’s Bono and residents of Sarajevo who lived through the siege, the film has resonated with audiences, receiving a 98% favorable score from viewers.

In their appeal to the Academy, Damon, Affleck, and Anthony highlighted the documentary’s timely relevance in the context of ongoing global conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the tensions in Gaza. They described the film as a “cautionary tale against the rise of nationalism” and a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Despite their plea, the Academy rejected the offer to organize another qualifying run for the film in September 2024, citing its prior streaming debut.

For the filmmakers, the Academy’s rigid rules feel at odds with the documentary’s critical acclaim and its powerful message. As Cicin-Sain poignantly stated, “If the spirit of the rule is to get movies into theaters, then something is wrong when you disqualify a film that achieved just that.”