Academy Awards Initiate Eligibility Changes Thanks to COVID-19
The 93rd Oscars will be different
Coronavirus is hitting the entertainment industry hard. As a result of the growing pandemic, the release dates of several most-anticipated films have been shifted. Now, it has become the reason for many changes in the Academy Awards 2021. For the first time in history, the films that are streamed and don’t get a theatrical release will be allowed to compete for the coveted awards. Also, two award categories have been clubbed.
In a Zoom meeting of Directors, it was decided that films that were to have theatrical releases but are not doing that due to COVID-19 will be included in Academy Awards. The category changes were announced by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The change will be initiated from 93rd Academy Awards that will probably be held on February 28, 2021. The last Academy Awards was Oscars 2020, a memorable event that was organised on February 10, 2020.
Another change that was announced after the important meeting was the clubbing of Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing Categories during the Academy Awards 2021. Now, the shift will be on recognising the best achievement in sound. This decision was taken after analysing the fact that there were overlapping nominations in these categories quite often.
These are big changes that will probably surprise the fans as much as hostless Oscars did. It should also be highlighted that all films that are streamed will not be eligible for nominations during the next Academy Awards. Only films that had planned theatrical releases and that are made available on the secure Academy Screening Room member-only streaming site in just 60 days of the streaming or VOD release will qualify.
After the coronavirus crisis is over, it is likely that the theatrical run will again be vital for qualification for the Academy Awards. The date of that change will be decided after a while. Another change that has been initiated is that the Academy will “expand the number of qualifying theatres beyond Los Angeles County to include venues in additional U.S. metropolitan areas: the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia.”
