Highlights
- Charli XCX’s Letterboxd post helped raise visibility for the film
- Two People Exchanging Saliva won Best Live Action Short at the 2026 Oscars
- Directors say viewership rose after the endorsement
- Film stood out for its uncompromising and unusual premise
A pop star’s post that changed momentum
A favourable review from Charli XCX played an unexpected role in bringing attention to Two People Exchanging Saliva, one of the winners at the Academy Awards this year.
Co-directors Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata said they noticed a clear rise in interest after the singer shared her thoughts on Letterboxd in December. According to Musteata, the impact became apparent when messages from friends began flagging the sudden spike in attention.
Singh described the moment as one of the most memorable in the film’s journey, recalling his surprise at seeing the review appear online.
From festival circuit to Oscar win
Two People Exchanging Saliva went on to win Best Live Action Short Film at the Academy Awards, sharing the honour with The Singers.
Set in a society where kissing is outlawed and punishable by death, the film first premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in 2024. Its premise and tone drew attention for being deliberately unconventional.
Musteata said the team remained committed to their original vision throughout production and editing, avoiding any attempt to soften its more challenging ideas. That approach, she suggested, helped attract high-profile collaborators.
Backing from major names and critical attention
The project features narration by Vicky Krieps, with Julianne Moore and Isabelle Huppert joining as executive producers.
Charli XCX’s review described Two People Exchanging Saliva as both “intimate and decadent”, a reaction the filmmakers later acknowledged publicly. The endorsement arrived weeks before the Oscar nominations were announced, giving the film added visibility at a crucial stage.
In a crowded awards landscape, that moment of attention helped lift a distinctive short from festival acclaim to wider recognition.
Bonnie Greer, Zawe Ashton, Gemma Cairney and guest at the "Character Breakdown" by Zawe Ashton book launch at Wild By Tart on April 03, 2019 in London, England. Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets American-British playwright, novelist and critic Bonnie Greer, right, during a reception for Americans living and working in the UK, at the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Britain, Winfield House on March 9, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. The reception was held Monday evening ahead of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visiting the U.S. next week. Photo by Matt Dunham - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Playwright Bonnie Greer, (C) poses with her sister Regina Greer-Smith, and brother-in-law Theron Smith, after she was awarded her Officer of the British Empire (OBE) medal from the Prince of Wales, at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, November 19, 2010 in London. Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images
