The Oscar race is heating up following recent film festival wins. Chloé Zhao's *Hamnet* solidified its frontrunner status after winning Toronto's audience award, a strong predictor of Best Picture success. Venice awarded its Golden Lion to *Father Mother Sister Brother*, while other notable films gaining traction include Kathryn Bigelow's *A House of Dynamite* and Paul Thomas Anderson's *One Battle After Another*. The international feature competition is also shaping up, with Brazil submitting *The Secret Agent* and Poland entering Agnieszka Holland's *Kafka*. These films, along with others, are now vying for Oscar nominations.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.