The Best Picture race at this year’s Academy Awards was one of the most unique and unpredictable in years. Among the nominees were big-budget films like “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two” and independent films like “Anora” and “Nickel Boys.” While each film brings something different to the category, one is a significant outlier—”The Substance.”
“The Substance” (2024) is a horror film directed by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat. The film follows waning actress Elisabeth Sparkle, played by Demi Moore, as her career declines. When Sparkle discovers a serum that promises to create a younger and all-around improved version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley, she can’t resist. Then, a story about misogyny, ageism and greed ensues.
Several elements of “The Substance” make its recognition at the 2025 Oscars a remarkable feat. The last horror film before “The Substance” nominated for Best Picture was “Get Out” in 2017. The Oscars have long had a problem with diversity in who and what they nominate. Horror films are consistently dismissed in talks about “Oscar-worthy films” because the industry believes they aren’t serious entertainment. However, this opinion does not reflect the worth of the horror genre as a whole, as horror films consistently perform well at the box office and on streaming.
“The Substance” is a body horror film. The mutations made to Elisabeth’s real and younger bodies are what make the film so unsettling. The effects the serum has on Elisabeth are entertaining but also serve to communicate the film’s themes of body image. Along with its Best Picture nomination, the film was nominated for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling.
“The Substance” also draws attention to impactful social issues. Through Elisabeth’s struggle in her career as she ages, the film highlights society’s pressure on women to combat the effects of aging. While the serum’s impact in the movie is exaggerated for the genre, the film focuses on the lengths people will go to remain youthful. While the film revolves around a famous Hollywood actress, the themes of “The Substance” transcend industries and status.
The film has also put Demi Moore back in the spotlight. Moore, who notably starred in the 1990 film “Ghost” and was a ’90s pop culture icon, was nominated for Best Actress. For her work in “The Substance,” Moore won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy. When accepting her award, Moore gave a memorable speech, noting that at age 62, it was the first time she’d won an award for her work as an actor.
In many ways, The Substance’s real-life success defies many of the film’s statements about society. Unlike Sparkle’s career in the film, Moore’s career seems to be back on the rise as she ages. The film also features two women in grotesque and gory makeup, rather than overtly sexualizing them and making their attractiveness the pillar of the film.
How “The Substance” has been embraced showcases how filmmaking can be a vehicle for progress and change.