DreamWorks and Paramount began a significant awards campaign for Dreamgirls while the film was still in production. In February 2006, the press was invited on set to a special live event showcasing the making of the film, including a live performance of "Steppin' to the Bad Side" by the cast.Franklin, Garth (Feb. 28, 2006). ""Dreamgirls" Presented To Press. Dark Horizons. Retrieved March 11, 2007. Three months later, twenty minutes of the film — specifically, the musical sequences "Fake Your Way to the Top", "Family", "When I First Saw You", and "Dreamgirls" – were screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, with most of the cast and crew in attendance.Friedman, Roger (May 20, 2006). Oscars 2007? Dreamgirls . Fox News. Retrieved March 11, 2007.Kilday, Gregg (May 23, 2007). "Dreamgirls gets early Oscar boost ." Monsters and Critics. Retrieved March 11, 2007. The resulting positive buzz earned Dreamgirls the status of "front-runner" for the 2006 Academy Award for Best Picture and several of the other Oscars as well.Wells, Jeffrey (Aug. 15, 2006). "Oscar Mashing at Paramount ". Hollywood Elsewhere. Retrieved March 11, 2007.
