The Substance Awards: How A Controversial Body-Horror Film Shocked The Oscars And Golden Globes

The Substance Awards are not an annual ceremony but rather the collective, explosive recognition given to the 2024 body-horror film, The Substance, which has completely redefined the landscape of awards season for the horror genre. As of December 10, 2025, the film's journey from a divisive Cannes debut to an Academy Award triumph and a historic Golden Globe win for its lead actress, Demi Moore, has been one of the most compelling and controversial narratives in recent cinema history.

This provocative satire, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, has garnered a staggering number of accolades, proving that challenging, R-rated genre filmmaking can compete directly with prestige dramas. Its success is a powerful testament to its unflinching critique of oppressive beauty standards and the relentless, often violent, pursuit of eternal youth. The film's awards run is a story of a 'substance' that Hollywood couldn't ignore.

The Substance (2024) Accolades and Awards Biography

The film The Substance, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, follows a fading celebrity who uses a mysterious black market product to create a "better," younger version of herself, leading to a gruesome battle for existence. Its awards journey is marked by high-profile wins and nominations across the most prestigious global ceremonies, highlighting its technical brilliance and potent thematic material.

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Here is a list of the film’s most significant "Substance Awards" and nominations:

• Academy Awards (Oscars)
  • WINNER: Best Makeup and Hairstyling
  • Nomination: Best Picture
  • Nomination: Best Director (Coralie Fargeat)
  • Nomination: Best Actress (Demi Moore)
  • Nomination: Best Original Screenplay (Coralie Fargeat)
• Golden Globe Awards
  • WINNER: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Demi Moore)
  • Nomination: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
  • Nomination: Best Supporting Female Actor (Margaret Qualley)
• Cannes Film Festival
  • WINNER: Best Screenplay (Coralie Fargeat)
  • Nomination: Palme d'Or
• European Film Awards
  • Nominated in multiple categories, including Best Film and Best Director.
• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
  • WINNER: People's Choice Midnight Madness Award
• Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS)
  • WINNER: Best Picture
• Critics' Choice Awards
  • Multiple nominations, including Best Horror or Thriller Feature.

The Golden Globe Triumph and Demi Moore’s Career-Defining Win

The most shocking and widely celebrated win of the entire "Substance Awards" run was undoubtedly Demi Moore’s victory at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards. Moore took home the award for Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, a rare honor for a performance in the body-horror genre.

Her portrayal of Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading Hollywood star whose attempt to use a self-cloning product goes violently wrong, was hailed as a powerful and raw comeback role. The win was significant not only for Moore, marking her first-ever major acting award, but also for the horror genre itself, which rarely sees its leading performances recognized in major categories alongside traditional comedic and dramatic contenders. Moore’s acceptance speech was a powerful moment, highlighting the film’s "magical, bold" script and its unflinching look at societal pressures.

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The success at the Golden Globes cemented The Substance as a serious awards contender, positioning it perfectly for the subsequent Academy Award nominations. The film’s ability to blend extreme gore with sharp, feminist satire made it a critical darling, even if its graphic nature was challenging for some audiences. This recognition helped to normalize the inclusion of high-quality horror in mainstream awards conversations, paving the way for future genre films.

The Oscar Shock: A Technical Masterpiece and Coralie Fargeat's Vision

While the film secured an impressive five nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Coralie Fargeat, its sole win in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category was a pivotal moment for the film's creative team. The Oscar win was a direct acknowledgment of the incredible practical and special effects work required to bring the film's gruesome and transformative body-horror elements to life.

The visual effects, which depict the physical deterioration of the original self (Moore) as the "better" self (Qualley) thrives, are central to the film’s narrative power. The incredible artistry in the makeup and prosthetics directly serves the film's themes, making the win feel deeply deserved and integral to the storytelling, not just a technical formality.

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Director Coralie Fargeat, who also wrote the screenplay, became a major entity in the awards conversation. Her nomination for Best Director was a massive achievement, signaling a breakthrough for female genre filmmakers. Fargeat’s vision was described as a "provocative body horror comedy that delves into the perils of vanity and the quest for eternal youth," and her Cannes win for Best Screenplay confirmed the strength of her writing long before the major American awards began.

The Impact of The Substance on Genre Film Recognition

The sheer volume and prestige of the "Substance Awards" have had a profound impact on how the film industry views body-horror and genre satire. The film's polarizing reception—described by some as a "brilliant feminist critique" and by others as a "soulless mess"—only fueled its topical authority and visibility.

Its success has created a new benchmark for extreme, yet intelligent, horror. The film’s bluntness in addressing issues like misogyny, ageism, and the tyranny of beauty standards resonated with critics and audiences alike, proving that a movie featuring graphic gore can also be a powerful, thought-provoking piece of art. The film’s ability to generate both collective gasps of horror and belly laughs of absurdity is a testament to Fargeat's unique directorial control.

By securing nominations in major categories like Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress, The Substance broke down traditional barriers, showing that awards bodies are increasingly willing to look past genre labels to recognize exceptional filmmaking. This legacy is arguably the most important "Substance Award" of all, opening the door wider for future genre-bending, boundary-pushing cinema.