New Oscars Award Rules - Necessary to include minorities
22:09
The American Film Academy announced a plan to amend the rules for selecting films nominated in the "best film" category. In the future, nominated productions will have to include racial, ethnic or sexual minorities in the story told on the screen and in the production process.
The Oscar-awarding Academy announced four new standards, which will be phased in from 2022. These standards - called A, B, C, and D - relate to on-screen characters, filmmakers, film industry access, and promotional communication with viewers. In order for a picture to be eligible for a nomination for the best film category (only this category will be affected by the new rules), it will have to meet at least two of the four standards.
The new standards were developed by a dedicated working group, led by the current president of the American Film Academy, David Rubin, and its executive director, Daw Hudson.
"Our rules must be broadened to best and most truthfully reflect the diversity of our population, both on the screen, in the creative process and among the cinema audience," Rubin said.
The actions of the Film Academy are the aftermath of the #OscarsSoWhite campaign launched in 2015, which was a response to the fact that five years ago, for the second time in a row, Oscar nominations in all four acting categories were awarded to 20 exclusively white actresses and actors.
