Film festival season kicks off with the one-two punch of Sundance and Cannes as Hollywood's crème de la crème descend to introduce the next batch of films that'll be caught up in awards fever as the 2017-18 season approaches.

If these festivals are the gauge unveiling the future films to be part of this conversation, it's September festivals such as TIFF and Venice that are tasked with assembling just who the major players will be at the Oscars in February.

Take The Beguiled, for instance - Sofia Coppola's 19th-century American Civil War tale starring Nicole Kidman as the head of a girls school who takes in a wounded soldier (Colin Farrell). The adaptation was in contention for Cannes' Best Picture equivalent, the Palme d'Or, with many automatically assuming it to be a nomination shoo-in. However, since the film's release in July, awards chat has dwindled in favour of other emerging films that didn't get shown on the French Riviera.

There are also the films whose calibre of talent naturally put them high as contenders until unprecedented negative festival reactions from hardened journalists throw their chances into question. TIFF's case in point was Suburbicon. Directed by George Clooney, written by the Coen Brothers, starring Matt Damon and Julianne Moore, this patchwork of past Oscar glory sadly received a lukewarm response upon its early Friday morning screening all but eliminating its Oscar chances (I say “sadly” as I'm uncertain whether Suburbicon deserved such ire especially when other films of similar quality - Battle of the Sexes being one - received rave reviews. Still, if Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close can sneak in, Suburbicon can).

Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Show all 15 1 /15 Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Director: Martin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones Plot: In this darkly comic drama, a mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder, when they fail to catch the culprit. Twentieth Century Fox Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Call Me By Your Name Director: Luca Guadagnino Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg Plot: A young man named Elio, living in Italy during the 1980s, meets Oliver, an academic who has come to stay at his parents' villa, and a passionate relationship develops between them, as they bond over their sexuality, their Jewish heritage, and the landscape. Sony Pictures Classics Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Dunkirk Director: Christopher Nolan Cast: Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance Plot: In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Get Out Director: Jordan Peele Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener Plot: This horror drama follows a young interracial couple who visit the girl's parents only for her boyfriend to uncover a conspiracy whereby young black adults are being captured. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Downsizing Director: Alexander Payne Cast: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Waltz, Alec Baldwin Plot: A man and his wife join a community of miniaturized people after undergoing a process to shrink themselves. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Florida Project Director:Sean Baker Cast:Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince Plot: A precocious 6-year-old and her friends are homeless, living in extended-stay motels, but their summer is still filled with childhood wonder and adventure. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Post Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson Plot: Ben Bradlee and Kay Graham of The Washington Post challenge the federal government for the right to publish classified information in 1971. Twentieth Century Fox Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Shape of Water Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Doug Jones Plot: In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Molly's Game Director: Aaron Sorkin Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner Plot: The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. Courtesy of STXfilms Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Big Sick Director: Michael Showalter Cast: Kumail Najiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano Plot: Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Mudbound Director: Dee Rees Cast: Jason Clarke, Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund Plot: This Netflix film follows two who men return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to life after war. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Disaster Artist Director: James Franco Cast: James Franco, Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Zac Efron Plot: A big screen re-enactment of the making of Tommy Wiseau's cult film The Room deemed 'the worst movie of all time.' Getty Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Phantom Thread Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps Plot: Set in 1950's London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Lady Bird Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Beanie Feldstein, Tracy Letts Plot: Gerwig's deirectorial debut is a coming-of-age story about a high-school senior (Ronan) and her turbulent relationship with her mother (Metcalf). Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Darkest Hour Director: Joe Wright Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn Plot: The film follows Winston Churchill's early days as Prime Minister while Hitler closes in on Britain during World War II.

My point being the Best Picture contenders are a hell of a lot clearer than they were a few months ago. Below are the films - ranging from Greta Gerwig's directorial debut to the latest from heavyweight Steven Spielberg - that won't be sniffed at as awards season intensifies.

Call Me By Your Name

Call Me By Your Name: Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer (Sony Pictures Classics)

In Call Me By Your Name, Luca Guadagnino has delivered a film increasingly looking like the one to beat. The drama, centred on a young man (rising star Timothée Chalamet) and his burgeoning relationship with an academic named Oliver (Armie Hammer) in 1980s Italy, is whipping up a critical frenzy topping many critic's 'end of year' lists with Michael Stuhlbarg a strong Supporting Actor contender.

Call Me By Your Name is out now

Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour: Gary Oldman is unrecognisable as Winston Churchill

New film Darkest Hour sees Joe Wright take on the 'Winston Churchill biopic' challenge with aplomb toeing the line between entertaining and informative with a side order of Oscar-bait. Naturally, people are taking notice thanks to Gary Oldman's truly unrecognisable transformation into the English Prime Minister - making him a Best Actor favourite - but don't count Atonement director Wright's film out as just another one-trick biopic pony.

Darkest Hour is released 12 January 2018

Dunkirk

James D'Arcy and Kenneth Branagh in 'Dunkirk'

Only one of Christopher Nolan's ten films have ever been nominated for Best Picture (Inception) but a nod for World War II film Dunkirk has rather likely following its release in July. That the filmmaker was invited to TIFF for a special 70mm IMAX screening plus Q&A is proof that Warner Bros is backing the summer tentpole as its biggest awards contender - and it's hard to see it being ignored.

Dunkirk is getting re-released in select IMAX cinemas this month

The Florida Project

Willem Dafoe in the "The Florida Project" (Rex Features)

The Florida Project is the year's most unassuming crowdpleaser, a nostalgia-laced tale following the hijinks of a precocious young girl (Brooklynn Prince) and her mother (Bria Vinaite) around a motel in Kissimmee, Florida. Director Sean Baker (Tangerine) continues his cinema takeover with an assured feature bolstered by Willem Dafoe who may well have already sewn up the Supporting Actor trophy for his performance as kindly motel manager Bobby.

The Florida Project is out now

Get Out

Daniel Kaluuya in Jordan Peele's horror smash 'Get Out' (Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

One of the year's most bankable films came from comedian Jordan Peele, a horror satire following a black male who uncovers a conspiracy following a visit to his girlfriend's parent's house. While these days, it's not standard practice for horrors to get recognised by the Academy, Get Out's ambition and adeptly-delivered thrills separate it as the best of its kind - a nomination would be a welcome surprise to all.

Get Out is available to own on DVD and Blu-ray now

Lady Bird

Saoirse Ronan on lead duties in Greta Gerwig's 'Lady Bird'

With no less than three TIFF press screenings for each film, journalists - schedules permitting - would have been able to see everything they so desired. Lady Bird was the exception. Notch it down to excited word-of-mouth following its Venice premiere, but Greta Gerwig's directorial debut, which stars Saoirse Ronan and guaranteed Supporting Actress nominee Laurice Metcalf, saw the biggest queues of the festival setting it apart as Oscar season's insect-sized dark horse (and while it won't help its award chances, the film has taken over Toy Story 2 to become Rotten Tomatoes' best-reviewed film of all time).

Lady Bird will be released February 2018

Molly's Game

Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba in 'Molly's Game' (STXfilms) (Courtesy of STXfilms)

Every so often a film inveigles its way into the Best Picture category aided by a powerhouse performance at its heart (Silver Linings Playbook and Dallas Buyers Club spring to mind). Step forward Molly's Game, the directorial debut of Aaron Sorkin starring Jessica Chastain as Olympic skier-turned-underground poker kingpin Molly Bloom. Her memorable performance would later hijack most TIFF conversations injecting the film with unexpected awards gravitas.

Molly's Game is released 26 December

Mudbound

Mudbound is Netflix's first real awards contender

Mudbound provides Netflix with its first true Oscar contender having been sold at Sundance for $12.5 million. The film, directed with admirable command by Dee Rees, is an ensemble story of racial injustice set in post-WWII Mississippi starring the likes of Jason Clarke, Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige and Garrett Hedlund. A directing nomination for Rees would see her become the first female black woman to earn the feat.

Mudbound is available to view on Netflix now

Phantom Thread

Daniel Day-Lewis in 'Phantom Thread'

Phantom Thread - the new film from Paul Thomas Anderson - is expected to be the final screen performance of Oscar-winning extraordinaire Daniel Day-Lewis. Set in 1950's London, the film is centred on his protagonist Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover, played by breakout Vicky Krieps. It promises to be yet another beguiling addition to the filmography of a masterful talent.

Phantom Thread is released 2 February 2018

The Post

(Twentieth Century Fox)

Steven Spielberg's towering drama unites Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep for the dramatisation of real-life events which saw Washington Post journalists racing to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets spanning three decades in 1971. A late Best Picture frontrunner, The Post also boasts a supporting cast to end all supporting casts comprised of a who's who of television talent ranging from Bob Odenkirk to Carrie Coon.

The Post is released on 19 January 2018

The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water: Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in Guillermo del Toro's fantasy

Those who hadn't already taken notice of Guillermo del Toro's majestic fantasy tale sat up immediately upon learning it had just won Venice's Golden Lion - the festival's biggest prize. Those already initiated with the film would have told you The Shape of Water is a wondrous often-gritty delight and the Mexican-American filmmaker's best film since Pan's Labyrinth which has thrown Sally Hawkins to the forefront of the already-exciting Best Actress race.

The Shape of Water is released on 16 February 2018

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Frances McDormand in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (Twentieth Century Fox)

The last time TIFF's main award winner failed to earn a Best Picture nomination was in 2011 all but ensuring this black comedy's place in the category. While Frances McDormand will receive most of the acclaim, her performance as Mildred Hayes - a woman who takes the law into her own hands - a downright showstopper, this is In Bruges director Martin McDonagh's film, his screenplay so razor sharp you may draw blood.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is released on 12 January 2018