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They're Hoping To Make #OscarsSoWhite A Thing Of The Past
Freshly painted Oscar Statues in preparation for the Governors Awards and the 82nd Academy Awards at a secret location on Oct. 19, 2009 in Northern Los Angeles County. (Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science said today it is amending its rules to help make Oscar eligibility more inclusive. One way is through a new mandate that 10 movies be nominated for best picture every year, starting with the 2022 ceremony.
The idea is that by casting a guaranteed wider net, smaller movies might have a better chance of being shortlisted. This year, for example, nine films were nominated for best picture, and several movies with Black themes were excluded, including "The Last Black Man in San Francisco" and "Clemency."
Following years of criticism over the demographics of its voters (predominantly older white men), and the lack of diversity among its nominees (yielding the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite), the academy has expanded its membership dramatically to include hundreds more voters who are women and non-white. It is calling its new initiative "Academy Aperture 2025."
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Academy Makes Changes Aimed At Making Oscar Less White
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