
The Oscars Instates Diversity and Inclusion Standards for Best Picture Eligibility
The newly announced changes take effect in 2024.
Building on its previously announced efforts to increase diversity in the film industry, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed that, starting in 2024, films must meet specific representation and inclusion standards for Oscars eligibility in the Best Picture category. “We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement.
To be eligible to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, films must meet two out of four standards encompassing diversity both on screen and behind the scenes. They must also offer career opportunities for apprentices and interns from underrepresented groups, as well as meet representation standards in marketing, publicity and distribution. Though the 2022 and 2023 Oscars will require films to submit confidential “Inclusion Standards” forms, meeting these inclusion standards will not be a requirement for Best Picture eligibility until 2024, nearly a decade after activist April Reign created the viral #OscarsSoWhite hashtag.
Head to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website to learn more.