Obsession Campaigning For 15 Oscars, Including Inde Navarrette For Best Actress

Curry Barker's "Obsession" is the single most impressive success story of the year, even more so that "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Many outlets, including /Film, have kept close tabs on the film's increasing number of box office records. Just as many outlets have noted that the $750,000 horror movie has grossed over $505 million at the box office. For a moment, it was the most profitable movie of all time, although it has since lost that title to the $15,000 animated film "Niu Lai." Regardless, something about this intense, bloody film about romantic cruelty has tapped into the collective unconsciousness, and has kept people returning in droves. 

According to a report in Variety, "Obsession" has become popular enough that Focus Features will be launching an Oscars campaign for the film, pushing that it be nominated for Academy Awards is every category for which it may be eligible. 

This means that star Inde Navarrette will be campaigning for Best Actress, and that the film's writer/director/editor, Curry Barker, will be pushed by Focus Features for Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Editing. But the Variety article makes it clear that everyone who worked on the movie will be part of the campaign. One of the film's art directors, Sally Choi, pointed out on Instagram that she was unjustly underpaid for her work on "Obsession," which felt like an even greater injustice once the film started raking in hundreds of millions of dollars. One would hope that Choi, and everyone else, has now been able to claw back some cash, but, additionally, will now be in the Oscars conversation as well.

Inde Navarrette is considered the true breakthrough of "Obsession," and her career has already taken an upswing since its release; she was recently cast as Rogue in an upcoming "X-Men" feature film. One, however, should also pause to credit Michael Johnston as the lead character, Bear, for giving an excellent, terrified performance as a lovelorn young man who reveals how short-sighted and cruel he can be over the course of the movie. 

To remind readers, "Obsession" is about a young man named Bear who is in love with his best friend Nikki (Navarrette), but who is too shy to say anything about it. In a fit of pique, he uses a chintzy wishing stick purchased at a local woo-woo shop to wish that Nikki would fall in love with him. Unexpectedly, the wishing stick works, and Nikki throws herself at Bear. At first, this all seems to be working out well for Bear, but it's eventually revealed that Nikki's consciousness has been supplanted by an eerie demonic being. Bear learns that Nikki's mind is being held captive in some undefined faraway netherspace, and the Nikki he has been interacting with is an obsessive, abusive maniac; she tapes his door shut and makes Bear a sandwich out of ... well, it's not pretty. Bear, once he learns the truth of the situation, initially decides to do nothing. He's not a great boyfriend, that Bear. 

Filmmaker Curry Barker, 26, made the found-footage horror movie "Milk & Serial" prior to "Obsession," and he is currently in production on the horror comedy "Anything But Ghosts," which will reportedly cost $5 million. The film will take place in the same universe as "Obsession," so one can see it as a sequel.

As it so happens, "Obsession" is eligible in 15 Oscar categories, which would run as follows: 

• Best Picture
• Best Director, Curry Barker
• Best Actress, Inde Navarrette
• Best Actor, Michael Johnston
• Best Supporting Actor, Cooper Tomlinson
• Best Supporting Actress, Megan Lawless
• Best Supporting Actor, Andy Richter
• Original Screenplay, Curry Barker
• Film Editing, Curry Barker
• Cinematography, Taylor Clemons
• Original Score, Rock Burwell
• Casting, Skyler Zurn
• Sound, Y.J. Gold and Ben Zarai
• Makeup and Hairstyling, Allie Shehorn
• Production Design, Vivian Gray

Megan Lawless plays the character of Sarah in "Obsession," who is Bear's co-worker and friend. Andy Richter plays Sarah's dad who owns a local music store where several of the main characters work. He and Sarah have a minor story arc about the possibility of her being accepted into college. If Andy Richter is nominated for an Oscar, he may very well break some kind of record for minimal screen time. 

Time will tell if the film is nominated for any of these awards, but as of this announcement, that most ineffable, undefinable of qualities — Oscar buzz — has officially begun. If you were an Academy voter, which categories would you vote for?