Oscars diversity criteria ‘not about exclusion’ say leaders
Any change to the Oscars is going get people talking, so the leaders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were not exactly surprised that the new best picture inclusion standards became a trending topic on social media as soon as they were announced Tuesday night.
“Change doesn’t come without some variation of views,” said Paramount Pictures CEO Jim Gianopulos, who co-headed the task force behind the criteria with film producer DeVon Franklin. “Nothing is absolutely perfect, but this is a very progressive effort to make change.”
Starting with the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, best picture nominees will have to meet specific requirements addressing gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disability in front of and behind the camera in order to qualify. Films must comply with two of four broad representation categories: On screen; among the crew; at the studio; and in opportunities for training and advancement.
Some said they went too far and accused the new rules of inhibiting art and artists with quotas. Others, like Stacy L. Smith, director of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, said they didn’t go far enough.