From September to January, film studios and artists fight for the coveted 10 spots for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards. From “For Your Consideration” billboards to private screenings, independent filmmakers campaign to get the attention of studios at different film festivals.  The Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival are two of the biggest and most prestigious places where a film can premiere. Because of these festivals, many distributors, like Netflix and Neon, gather films that they think could be potential nominees to expand their critically acclaimed collection.

However, a film does not have to premiere at a festival to be considered an awards favorite. The box office phenomenons that were “Barbie” (2023) and “Oppenheimer” (2023) went straight into the hands of the public, and they both amassed 21 nominations together. Here are some of the films that have a chance at gathering some nominations at the Academy Awards this year.

“Queer”

Is 2024 the year of Luca Guadagnino? “Challengers” brought some sexy and raunchy moments to the big screen, but this new love story starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey could be Guadagnino’s way of entering the Oscar race since “Call Me by Your Name” (2017).

The romantic drama follows an American expat (Craig) who falls in love with a much younger man (Starkey) in 1940s Mexico City. Guagdanino has teamed up again with fellow “Challengers” writer Justin Kuritzkes. The film is also a frontrunner in the Best Actor category, as most awards watchers expect Craig to receive his first nomination.

“Joker: Folie à Deux”

The first “Joker” (2019) was a box office hit and a critical darling, receiving 11 nominations and wins for Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix and Best Original Score. Will director Todd Phillips’ introduction of Harley Quinn to the story bring it the same fate? The academy has nominated multiple sequels for Best Picture — most recently “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022) — so if “Joker: Folie à Deux” meets audiences’s expectations of what a Joker film should look like, it has a solid chance of taking one of the 10 spots in the category.

The sequel will not only introduce Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, but it will also be a musical, presenting Academy voters with a whole new reason as to why it should be nominated.

“Blitz”

Director Steve McQueen is back with his feature about Germany’s bombing of Blitz, England during World War II starring Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan. The last of McQueen’s films that made it into the Oscar race was “12 Years a Slave” (2013), which won Best Picture alongside Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Lupita N’yongo. “Blitz” is premiering at the New York Film Festival and is expected to score a Best Picture nomination alongside a Best Director nomination for McQueen’s period piece.

“Anora”

Premiering at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Sean Baker’s “Anora” won the prestigious Palme d’Or, skyrocketing its chances of being nominated for Best Picture and taking its lead actress and director with it.

The film follows a sex worker who is hired by a young man who becomes infatuated with her. Baker’s previous film, “The Florida Project” (2017), received zero nominations, but it was critically acclaimed, so an “Anora” win at Cannes could truly help the film’s chances at recognizing Baker’s work during Oscar nomination morning.

“Maria”

“Maria” will conclude director Pablo Larraín’s trilogy of influential famous women. As for his previous films — “Jackie” (2016) and “Spencer” (2021) — Natalie Portman and Kristen Stewart received Best Actress nominations for their portrayals of Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana, respectively. Angelina Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas is a shoo-in for a Best Actress nomination and while a Best Picture nomination is not secured yet, anything can happen during the next few months.

“The Piano Lesson”

Director Malcom Washington’s latest film features a stacked cast consisting of Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler and John David Washington who take on August Wilson’s play of the same name. “The Piano Lesson” is very likely to receive a SAG Awards nomination for Best Ensemble Cast, which is usually a predictor as to which films get nominated for Best Picture. Samuel L. Jackson and Danielle Deadwyler are likely to receive nods for their supporting performances.

“Dune: Part Two”

Anything can happen during Oscars nominations morning, but Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” has the best shot at scoring a Best Picture nomination, since its precedent won six Oscars at the 2022 Academy Awards. “Dune: Part Two” is certain to receive nominations in the same technical categories “Dune” (2021) did, such as Best Cinematography and Best Sound. However, unlike the first “Dune,” Villeneuve is a favorite for a Best Director nomination for Villeneuve’s visual creation of the “Dune” world and the rise of Paul Atreides.