Eurovision Netflix Movie Fire Saga Husavik Molly Sanden My Marianne Oscars

Can Eurovision crash the Oscars’ Best Original Song race? That’s the question the American culture website Vulture poses to its readers. And indeed, it seems that much of the buzz surrounding “Husavik” could be set to carry over from the charts into awards season.

Could “Husavik” win at the Oscars?

“Husavik” is, of course, the breakout hit from Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga. Sung by My Marianne — aka Molly Sandén — the track has gone on to crack the charts in Britain, the U.S. and elsewhere. Sandén has even suggested that it could have won the real Eurovision.

Nodding towards the film’s streaming success in an unprecedented year, Vulture ponders whether “Husavik” could not only break into the nominations list for Best Original Song, but actually win the prize outright.

Whilst acknowledging the quality of the movie’s other songs like “Double Trouble” and “Lion Of Love”, the website observes that Academy voters tend to vote for more sincere efforts — hence why “Husavik” is in the frame.

The writer explains that Sandén’s showstopper ticks many of the boxes required for Oscars success — “emotional resonance, a sweeping, Adele-style chorus, and lyrics that aren’t too silly… And it closes with an absolute whopper of a high note”.

The Icelandic lyrics also shouldn’t be a hindrance, as winning songs from Coco and Slumdog Millionaire have also featured non-English languages.

‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’ Oscar chances

As of July, there are two big rivals for best song. SZA and Justin Timberlake’s “The Other Side” from Trolls World Tour and Billie Eilish’s Bond song “No Time to Die”.

Vulture doesn’t predict many other contenders emerging between now and the end of the year. However, it suggests that the early release date may be the Eurovision movie’s biggest disadvantage. By the time the Oscars roll around “Husavik” will be ten months old.

While stopping short of labelling “Husavik” a front-runner, we’re told to not “be surprised if, next spring, we see Will Ferrell and Sandén performing the song on the Oscars telecast, whatever form that takes”.

Alas, Netflix’s Eurovision movie is not expected to be in contention for prizes in any of the other major categories.

Streaming-only movies at the Oscars

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the eligibility rules have been changed for the 2021 Academy Awards. Movies which have had a steaming-only release will be eligible for consideration. However, there’s a caveat — the film must have been set to have a theatrical release before lockdown measures forced cinemas to close.

Director David Dobkin has confirmed that Netflix was set to give the film a short theatrical run. This would have made it eligible for Oscar nominations prior to the pandemic, but still makes it eligible for a nomination under the new conditions.

The streaming giant has previously released films like The Irishman and Marriage Story in selected theatres for up to 21 days in order to qualify.

What do you think of “Husavik”? Do you think it could win an Oscar? Let us know in the comments.

Follow all of our Netflix ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga’ news.

46 Comments
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Janine
Janine
3 years ago

If this song doesn’t win the Oscar for Best Original Song, I will riot. Because that will be highway robbery. This song is a song for the ages. Even middle-aged men who didn’t care for the movie had tears pour out of their eye sockets when they saw and heard the song. Go look on the IMDB reviews and Youtube.

Stephanie
Stephanie
3 years ago

Just a small question is the film any good cause I haven’t seen it yet, thanks

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Stephanie

Search for the Wiwi review! I can’t remember exactly, I think it got about 7.5 out of ten.

Janine
Janine
3 years ago
Reply to  Stephanie

It’s a cute and silly movie with a lot of heart, and the soaring song in the climax is a giant payoff.

Nudiecrudi
Nudiecrudi
3 years ago

Are you serious?
Such a cheap and generic song.
Predictable, without any emotional grap. It will be forgotten very soon.

Zoe
Zoe
3 years ago
Reply to  Nudiecrudi

Cause “Let It Go” is not all you just mentioned.

ForMolly
ForMolly
3 years ago
Reply to  Nudiecrudi

Can’t even argue with this comment, it’s just so ludicrous. She has the voice of a god damn angel. This song stirs anyone with a soul. It even makes you laugh with Will Ferrell’s contribution. Rooting for you Molly!

Russell Coleman
Russell Coleman
3 years ago

The Huldufólk told mr they would win

Ana
Ana
3 years ago

Hope it gets nominated, then more people will watch the movie and in turn watch the real competition next year breaking all records 😉
We have to think positive, the more PR the better 😀

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago

“Where the mountains sing through the screams of seagulls”

It makes me laugh every time I hear it. There are just so many subtleties in the film, I am enjoying it more and more each day!

Gurl
Gurl
3 years ago

I hope Double Trouble gets a nomination, too. Such a great song!

Amadeus
Amadeus
3 years ago

Yeah, no. The song is cute but it’s not even that good. Double Trouble is a million times better.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago

Eligibility will be an issue. From what I’ve read, currently, the situation is that a film had to have planned a theatrical release in order to be eligible.
If it were, however, It would depend what it is up against really. There have been years where great songs have missed out due to the strength of the competition (2007 comes to mind) or that bad songs have won because there is no other alternative (2011).
Husavik is probably good enough but as others have said, I would be really surprised if Billie Eilish doesn’t win it.

MollyMolly
MollyMolly
3 years ago

Any song can win Oscars if they’ve campaigned you enough to get that win. Who says it’s about the best anyway?

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  MollyMolly

Oscar nominations are generally tricky. There are hundreds of eligible films each year, so campaigns indeed play a huge part in being nominated by the Academy. The ”consider XY” campaigns are crucial in getting nominated, even if not all of them are. I think that a nomination without a campaign is rare, but out of dozens of films which do it, only 5 (or 3 for some categories) get nominated. Who receives the nomination, and who subsequently wins, is often indeed largely due to their quality and respect among the critics, peers and audiences (there are exceptions, but it’s still… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago
Reply to  MollyMolly

When it comes to the other awards, I would agree with you. Generally, however, the award for best original song does tend to go to the most deserving.

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

No, but they have a Kirkorov.

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

How is he comparable?

Ashton
Ashton
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Well, they are both creeps and perverts. Kirkorov is known for making comments about various women, one of his most notable incidents being in 2004 when he verbally attacked a journalist named Irina Aroyan, saying that he is tired of her blouse, microphone, and breasts, and then had his bodyguards destroy her tape recorder afterwards. There have also been other incidents that I don’t care to go through in detail.

Mr Vanilla Bean
Mr Vanilla Bean
3 years ago
Reply to  Ashton

You could give us the gist of these other incidents then. I don’t know anything about him, but just like our ‘straight’ chancellor, I bet he’s never touched a woman in his life. As a young dude, I’d wanna run away from him as fast as I can, though. lol

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Was my follow-up comment deleted? What did I say that was so bad?

I don’t mind, I’m just curious.

mentos
mentos
3 years ago

I watched the Eurovision movie for the first time tonight, and can I just say, it exceeded all of my expectations and then some. I honestly thought that this movie would be nothing more than a parody, but honestly I fell in love with the plot and that 2 hours just flew by. Very impressed! Of course it’s not going to be factually accurate in terms of reflecting the real Eurovision contest, but I think this movie is a definite gem for all of us during these tough times.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

A nomination should be possible, considering their only major competition is the Birds of Prey film. Then again, I expect tons of Oscar-bait dramas in November / December to throw their hats in the game, so who knows. I’d like it if Husavik gets nominated. It’s a beautiful song. As a trivia side-note, I believe that Celine Dion is the only person whose song won both Eurovision and an Oscar. Although by the Academy rules the Oscar went directly to James Horner and Will Jennings, the authors of My Heart Will Go On, she is the original performer of both… Read more »

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Don’t forget Beauty & the Beast – she’s done it twice!

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

True! Great Celine! 🙂

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

No, it won’t win. Nominations isn’t only about songs, it’s about the movie it is attached to. Silly comedies like Eurovision isn’t the type of movie that gets nominated to any awards. Besides, I doubt it is even eligible. The song category has all sort of weird rules..

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

In general, you are right. But if Fifty Shades of Grey could score a nomination for their song, so can Eurovision. I mean, it’s not impossible for them to do it.

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

It kinda is impossible if they had no plans to release the movie in cinemas. I don’t remember ever hearing that they did.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

They can always make it play for a week in some LA theaters and for a week in some New York theaters if they get enough buzz to even think it’s possible. Just like Scorcese’s Irishman had a very limited run, mostly for the sole purpose of Oscar buzz as it was already available online.

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Maybe, if that’s possible. Would they really do that during Covid-19, long after the movie’s streaming release, just for one possible (minor) nomination? I don’t think so. All of the other Netflix Oscar-nominated movies mentioned are very different, and got multiple nominations. Even then, the Academy voters have an anti-streaming tendency so are reluctant to support Netflix. Roma should have won Best Picture, but lost to Green Book. The Irishman got 10 nominations, but won zero.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I think the potential theatrical run would happen in November-January, when the crisis (hopefully) might be slightly smaller. And even if not, they don’t need big audiences, so theaters which sell every third seat or so would do just fine. The nomination might be relatively ”small” compared to screenplay, direction, acting, ect., but it still IS a nomination. So, if received, they could forever boost about being an Academy Award nominated film. I know the bias is still too big for them to likely win, but they could score a nomination if they play it right.

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Time will tell…

Denis
Denis
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Question is is Netflix really ready to promote a comedy released during summer when they have bigger prestige projects lined up during autumn and winter? Especially promote it for one pretty pointless nomination when they can promote other movies for bigger nominations? Besides that song nominations are also based on name recognition and who wrote it. It’s not that big names behind it..
And I also heard people in Hollywood are tired on Netflix being that aggressive in promotion. Like Irishman last year that most voters couldn¨t even sit through, yet Netflix promoted the hell out of it!

Alex
Alex
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

The Fifty shade year, Oscars snubbed Love me like you do for Earned it. The Weeknd name helped I guess. See You Again was the big favourite that year and yet snubbed. Oscars are very unpredictable in that cathegory.

Last edited 3 years ago by Alex
Heyey
Heyey
3 years ago

Not related to this post at all, but just a thought of mine. As we know backing vocals can be pre-recorded next year. Does this mean then that the backing track can have a choir in it? In real Eurovision there can be a maximum of 5 backing vocalists, but for example if Destiny decides to go with a song with a choir in it (in the style of “He Lives in You”) will it be allowed?

Last edited 3 years ago by Heyey
Petr
Petr
3 years ago
Reply to  Heyey

Yes!!!

Heyey
Heyey
3 years ago
Reply to  Petr

Oh really? Well that’s great! I really hope PBS takes notes of this and can bring us a Destiny feat. Choir for 2021! 😉

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago

No. I doubt it’s eligible.

itsme
itsme
3 years ago

I’m hoping it’ll get a nomination, but Billie Eilish’s bond song is probably destined to take home the oscar.

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  itsme

Probably. No Bond theme ever got an Oscar until Adele. Then Sam Smith. It seems that now it’s about celebrity, so Billie Eilish almost has it guaranteed. It’s a stupid category anyway.

Jo.
Jo.
3 years ago

Lol

xelx
xelx
3 years ago

I think either a song from the upcoming Disney-Pixar film “Soul” – which centers on a jazz musician – or the Billie Eilish Bond song will win, but a nomination for Husavik is possible, and a nomination would mean exposure for Molly Sanden during the Oscar telecast.

Lollipop ESC
Lollipop ESC
3 years ago

To answer the question: yes, it could win. I think if Molly Sanden would enter Melodi Festivalen 2021 with a good song + her fan bonus of the film, she will win that show and would represent Sweden in ESC 2021.

Last edited 3 years ago by Lollipop ESC
Lloyd
Lloyd
3 years ago
Reply to  Lollipop ESC

It couldnt. It’s too long ?

Ali
Ali
3 years ago
Reply to  Lloyd

he doesn’t mean the song would win Eurovision, he meant the Oscars, which has no length limit

Alex
Alex
3 years ago

I hope Sweden will send her to ESC.

Last edited 3 years ago by Alex