10 Alternative Best Picture Oscar Film Winners Of The Last Decade

As is usual for Oscar winners, 2021's CODA received critical acclaim. Unfortunately for a film portraying a deaf family, this acclaim did not come from the entirety of the deaf community, many of whom lambasted the film for it's misrepresentation of the disability and highlighted arguments that many films win Oscars for their reputation and pitch, rather than their overall quality.

Kenneth Branaugh's Belfast bore no such criticism. Lauded as a deeply personal insight into Belfast at the height of the Troubles, the coming of age drama was universally praised for the stellar performances of the cast and the top notch representation of the local Irish community.

Somehow managing to make audiences smile despite the seething social conflict occurring in the background, Belfast is a heartwarming formative tale of a young boy putting on the bravest of faces as his world is beset on all sides by the tyrannies of the IRA.

CODA was a thoroughly satisfying and ultimately monumental film in many regards. However, when compared to the dramatic impact and magnificent performances of Belfast, it ultimately left some feeling like the award was bestowed due to the disabilities of the cast, rather than their superiority in filmmaking.

This provided yet another contentious point for the Academy, whose purported attempt to champion diversity and inclusion appeared more condescending.