And the Oscar (nomination) goes to... Netflix!

Still from the Square
A scene from Oscar nominee, The Square

Is this what you call a roll?

In a year where Netflix saw its first Emmy and Golden Globe wins, the streaming service has now secured its first Academy Awards nomination.

The people's choice

The Square was widely expected to make the Oscar shortlist; it won accolades at both the Sundance and Toronto film festivals.

When asked for comment on Hollywood's recognition of the film, Netflix provided TechRadar with a statement from the doc's director:

"This film was a collaboration of talented filmmakers and was born from Tahrir Square - it is a witness that the struggle for human rights and freedoms is a universal struggle and this nomination is an international recognition of that struggle," Jehane Noujaim said.

Netflix has certainly come a long way since the days when it simply served as a video distribution service, not produced and owned original content.

Produce Karin Amer said in November that, "We see the deep value that Netflix places in this story of a very alive moment in world history and are thrilled they understand the power of this film to move, disrupt and inspire audiences worldwide."

The Academy Awards will be distributed on March 2. Rather than a Netflix upset, we may be in for a new norm in the winners circle then.

Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.