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Oscars' Academy Reveals Next Phase in Inclusion Initative, Expands Best Picture Field to 10
posted on by Adriana Hazra
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences announced on Friday that the Best Picture category will be set at 10 nominees from the 94th Academy Awards (with the ceremony taking place in 2022) onward. Previous awards for the category had a fluctuating number of nominees. The 93rd Academy Awards will not be affected.
The new rules for Best Picture are part of what the Academy revealed as the "next phase" of its equity and inclusion initiative. Other parts of the next phase include "[encouraging] equitable hiring practices and representation on and off screen" and creating a task force to develop and implement new representation and inclusion standards for Oscars eligibility.
In regards to governance and membership, the Academy also announced that unconscious bias training will be mandatory for all Academy Governors and other Academy staff, and members can also participate. The Academy further announced that its Board of Governors has passed a resolution to amend the Academy's bylaws. The amendment will limit the amount of time a Governor can serve on the Board.
In 2018, the Academy included several anime industry members in its list of membership invitations, as part of a series of new membership rules to promote diversity in the Academy's ranks, after 2016's nominations led to a backlash against the perceived lack of diversity among nominees. The Academy initiated the changes in January 2016, with the intent to radically diversify its membership by this year.
Both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced temporary changes to the eligibility requirements for their respective Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards in April, in light of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
While the Academy previously stated that the 93rd Academy Awards will be held on February 28, 2021, the latest press release on Friday did not mention a date for the ceremony.
Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences via Indiewire
