Be interesting to look at a list of BP winners released 1st half of their years.
I'm guessing it'd be a relatively short list.
Unseasonable prestige: 22 Best Picture winners released between January and July
Unseasonable prestige: 22 Best Picture winners released "off season"
Common wisdom suggests that Best Picture Oscars contenders should be released right before the holidays—but these examples prove films released in the first six months of the year stand just as good a chance.
www.avclub.com