The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a statement on September 8 regarding that the committee established new representation and inclusion standards for Oscars’ eligibility in the Best Picture category, through its official website.
The Academy aimed to reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience with the new standards that sat up as part of the Academy Aperture 2025 initiative. Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement, concerning the recent regulations:
“The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them. The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality. We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”
And the Academy declared the standards that a film must meet to be deemed eligible, for the 96th Oscars (2024). These standards mainly are divided into four categories: On-Screen Representation (A), Themes And Narratives (B), Creative Leadership And Project Team (C), Industry Access And Opportunities, Audience Development (D).
In order to achieve Standard A, at least one of the lead actors or supporting actors must be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, and the storyline or theme must be centered on one of the characters on these groups.
To achieve Standard B, at least two of the creative leadership positions and department heads such as Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer must be from underrepresented groups; women, racial or ethnic group, LGBTQ+ and people with cognitive or physical disabilities.
To achieve Standard C, the film’s distribution or financing company must have paid apprenticeships or internships, and must offer training and/or work opportunities for those from underrepresented groups. As for D, the film company that has multiple in-house senior executives must include individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups on their marketing, publicity, and/or distribution teams.
After releasing the standards, the Academy concluded the statement:
“All categories other than Best Picture will be held to their current eligibility requirements. Films in the specialty feature categories submitted for Best Picture/General Entry consideration will be addressed separately. Academy Aperture 2025 is the next phase of the Academy’s equity and inclusion initiative furthering the organization’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusion in the entertainment industry and increase representation within its membership and the greater film community.”
Click here to access the original statement.
