Viewing films becomes mandatory for casting votes
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Spicing up the Oscars, Academy's New Rules Shake Things Up
Get set for some electrifying changes at the Academy Awards, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unleashed an array of new rules to shake things up. Here's the lowdown on the most buzzworthy changes.
In a bold move, the Academy has mandated that all members should now be in the know about every film nomination before they cast their votes. former practice allowed voters to just skim through and vote only in categories they felt they qualified in. Now, it's all about total immersion!
The decision comes on the heels of a growing interest in the movies Academy members watch, and to combat the issue of overlooked films due to incomplete viewing. Many Academy voters confessed to not having seen some of the most noteworthy nominations or not finishing the longest ones.
For the Love of International Cinema
For the Best International Feature Film category, the Academy will now extend a warm welcome to filmmakers holding refugee or asylum status from other countries. These filmmakers will now have the option to represent their adopted country, instead of their original homeland. The change increases representation opportunities for filmmakers who might not have had a fair shot otherwise.
The rulebook states that the submitting country must confirm that creative control was largely managed by citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country. This rule change will open avenues for filmmakers like Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof who'd fled his home to avoid persecution. His film, Wildberry, was submitted by Germany and eventually nominated. However, the new rules won't directly impact filmmakers still in their home countries or films that were not accepted by their country's selection committee.
Artificial Intelligence: The Next Big Thing in Cinema?
The Academy has also declared that the use of generative artificial intelligence tools neither amps up nor knocks down a film's odds of scoring a nomination. Debate on AI's role in the film industry, like elsewhere, has been widespread in Tinseltown. Controversies such as The Brutalist used AI to finesse Hungarian dialogue for actors Adrien Brody (Best Actor winner) and Felicity Jones (Best Supporting Actress nominee) raised eyebrows.
"The Academy and its branches will prioritize human creativity when selecting films for awards," the Academy clarified in a statement.
Lastly, fresh awards will be dished out to film distributors who bring talent to the forefront. A preliminary vote will select the top 10 films, after which a presentation of the nominees will be held, along with a Q&A session with the contenders.
The Academy revealed plans for a new visual effects award, but it'll only be handed out in 2028. Stay tuned for more!
The Oscars ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026, with Conan O'Brien back on hosting duty for the ABC telecast.
[1] The Academy confirmed that the updated eligibility rules for the Best International Feature Film category were implemented to offer more opportunities for refugee and asylum-status filmmakers to participate in the Oscars, reflecting the Academy's efforts to be more inclusive and supportive of global talent.
[2] The new rules enable filmmakers with refugee or asylum status to be represented by a country other than their own and provide a pathway for filmmakers who might not have submission opportunities through their home country, but do not directly impact films that were not selected by their home country's selection committee or filmmakers who have not fled their countries.
[3] The updated rules stipulate that creative control of the film must largely rest with citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country.
Sources: (1) The Associated Press, (2) Deadline Hollywood, (3) Variety Magazine
- In a remarkable effort to be more inclusive and support global talent, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has implemented updated eligibility rules for the Best International Feature Film category, offering opportunities for refugee and asylum-status filmmakers to participate in the Oscars.
- The new rules allow filmmakers with refugee or asylum status to be represented by a country other than their own, paving a pathway for filmmakers who might not have had submission opportunities through their home country, yet do not directly impact films that were not selected by their home country’s selection committee or filmmakers who have not fled their countries.
- As per the updated rules, creative control of the film must primarily reside with citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country.
- As part of their commitment to the arts and entertainment industry, the Academy is introducing fresh awards for film distributors who bring talent to the forefront, with a preliminary vote selecting the top 10 films, followed by a nominees presentation and Q&A session with the contenders.
