The eventual best picture Oscar winner played or premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival from 2007 to 2013. Then last year, "Birdman" bypassed the Canadian event in favor of a closing slot at the New York Film Festival. Fox Searchlight figured that after earlier high-profile dates at the Venice and Telluride festivals, it was better to slot the New York-centric "Birdman" in the city where it was filmed.
Like every other decision the studio and its consultants made last year, it was the right call. "Birdman" won the Oscar, making it, after "12 Years a Slave," back-to-back wins for the studio.