The New York Film Festival audience at Alice Tully Hall responded positively to "Behemoth!", a film that sees acclaimed writer/director Tony Gilroy craft a nuanced narrative around a cellist grappling with a midlife crisis. While Pascal is widely recognized for his compelling work in television, most notably HBO's "The Last of Us," this marks his most ambitious leading role in a feature film to date.

His performance in "Behemoth!" has drawn critical approval for its quiet, reactive nature, with Pascal appearing in every scene. However, Indiewire notes that securing a Best Actor nomination will be a formidable challenge in a year anticipated to be packed with strong contenders. Established names like Matt Damon for “The Odyssey,” John Malkovich in “Wild Horse Nine,” Andrew Scott for “Elsinore,” Ryan Gosling’s role in “Project Hail Mary,” and John Turturro in “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” are all expected to vie for recognition.

Beyond Pascal's acting, the film is also poised to make waves in other Oscar categories. Tony Gilroy, celebrated for his writing prowess on projects like "Andor" and a previous Oscar nominee for "Michael Clayton," is a strong contender for Original Screenplay. Critics suggest his work on "Behemoth!" exemplifies the category's ideal.

Perhaps the most intriguing awards conversation surrounds the film's groundbreaking musical approach. "Behemoth!" features Pascal's character playing various movie scores during Hollywood sessions, triggering his memories. To achieve this, Gilroy assembled an impressive collective of nine composers, including industry heavyweights like James Newton Howard, Michael Giacchino, and Alan Silvestri, dubbed "The Behemoth! Collective." This presents a unique challenge for the Academy's Original Score category, which typically limits submissions to no more than three composers. Searchlight Pictures is hoping the music committee will consider making an exception for this innovative collective, citing past instances where the Academy has shown flexibility, such as with "K-Pop Demon Hunters." However, the path isn't always smooth, as seen with the disqualifications of "Birdman" and "Arrival" for various reasons, though "Hamnet" later saw flexibility regarding new and old material.

Separately, the film's original song, "Your God Is Sleeping" by Lukas Frank, is expected to face no issues in its submission for Oscar consideration.

"Behemoth!" is scheduled for release by Searchlight Pictures starting December 4, setting the stage for its awards season run.