In the wake of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and criticism over its historic lack of female nominees in its non-acting categories, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that inclusion will be a new requirement for all Best Picture nominees beginning in 2024.
In order to be considered for Best Picture that year and beyond, movies will have to meet at least two of four criteria: they’ll have to feature actors from underrepresented groups (including women, minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people with cognitive or physical disabilities) in significant roles or in at least 30 percent of the ensemble cast; have at least two department heads or 30 percent of the crew come from underrepresented groups; offer paid apprenticeships, internships and career development for those underrepresented groups via the film’s distribution company; or their studio must have senior executives from those groups on their marketing, publicity and distribution teams.
The goal for the initiative, the Academy said in a statement, is to “encourage equitable representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience.”
Movies looking to be considered for Oscars in 2022 and 2023 will have to submit a confidential “inclusion standards” form, but it won’t impact their eligibility until the new rule takes effect in 2024.
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