Oscars: Hollywood Academy announces new rules and prioritizes exhibition in theaters

The Hollywood Academy announced this Monday some modifications to the rules of the Oscar and the regulations for the promotional campaigns of the films that will govern the 97th edition of these awards, focused mainly on new exhibition requirements in physical cinemas.

According to the organization’s statement, drive-in cinemas will no longer be a valid means of exhibition for films aspiring to the award. This measure had been taken during the covid-19 emergency in 2020, when conventional movie theaters were closed due to the pandemic.

Instead, feature films up for an Oscar will only be eligible if they are released in theaters between January 1 and December 31 of this year and run for at least seven days (consecutive or not) in theaters. American cities of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, the Bay Area and Dallas/Fort Worth, which is added to the list for this edition.

In the case of the candidates for the best film award, they will also have to comply with the exhibition requirements that were announced in 2023 and that contemplate seven more days of exhibition in at least ten of the fifty most important markets in the United States. the following 45 days from its initial release.

In addition, those projects whose launch takes place at the end of this year and whose exhibition plans are planned for after January 10, 2025, will have to have verification from the Academy and complete the expanded exhibition in non-public theaters. later than January 24.

Other significant changes announced for the 97th edition, which will take place on March 2, 2025, fall into the category of best soundtrack.

Unlike previous years in which the main composers had to appear as a group and only received one award, the Academy will now award up to three individual statuettes if all of them have contributed fully to the score.

Likewise, the lists of Oscar pre-candidates – the so-called ‘shortlist’ – in this category will go from 15 to 20 titles.

In addition, animated feature films that compete for the best international film award may also aspire to the best animated film award if they meet the requirements established for both sections.

And unlike the rest of the films, the new eligibility period for the international feature film category is from November 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

On the other hand, to be considered in the best adapted screenplay or best original screenplay category, writers will have to submit a final shooting script.

The Hollywood Academy also announced changes to awards such as the Governors Awards, in which the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, given to a creative producer “whose work reflects consistently high quality in film production,” will be will be awarded in the form of an Oscar statuette and not in the form of the bust with the head of the MGM production chief that gives the award its title.

On the other hand, they have renamed two special distinctions awarded in the Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards: the Gordon E. Sawyer Award, will now be called the Scientific and Technical Achievement Award; and the John A. Bonner Award, has been renamed the scientific and technical service award.

The 97th edition of the Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles (California, USA) and the nominees for this edition will be announced on January 17.

With information from EFE