Live from Telluride, Sony Pictures’ biopic dramedy “Saturday Night” has officially entered the Oscar race thanks to its stellar ensemble, brilliant script and craftsmanship. The film turned heads at the festival, where nearly 300 people were turned away and the first audience arrived at 2:30 p.m. for the 7:15 p.m. screening. Jason Reitman’s crowd-pleaser is now a strong contender in multiple Oscar categories, including Best Picture.

Directed by Reitman, who introduced the film with former SNL cast member Bill Murray, the film is set in 1975 and covers the 90 minutes leading up to the premiere of NBC's long-running sketch show, Saturday Night Live.

With a cast of more than 20 actors delivering outstanding performances in their respective roles, “Saturday Night” is up for one of five spots for best ensemble cast at the SAG Awards. If nominated, it could break the record for most actors recognized in the category, surpassing eventual winner “Gosford Park,” which had 21 actors in its ensemble.

Read: All Academy Awards predictions in all 23 categories can be found on one page in the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.