Oscars change eligibility rules

As we predicted in March when films started postponing their release dates and theaters began to close in response to the COVID19 pandemic, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is temporarily changing some of their eligibility requirements for the 2021 Oscars.

With movie theaters closed, the Academy is forced to relax their requirement that films be theatrically released for seven consecutive days in a Los Angeles theater to be eligible for Oscar consideration. Films may now still be eligible if they have a digital-only release provided that they were scheduled to have a theatrical release during this shutdown period, defined as March 15th through whenever theaters reopen. The films must also be made available to Academy members through the Academy’s private video-on-demand streaming service.

Once theaters reopen, the Academy will resume their requirement of a seven-day theatrical release to be eligible for an Oscar, but there will still be some relaxation from the old rules: instead of only Los Angeles theaters counting, movie theaters in New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta will also meet the eligibility requirements.

The Academy also made other permanent changes unrelated to COVID19:

• The Sound Mixing and Sound Editing awards will now be combined into a single award, a move requested by the Academy’s Sound Branch.
• Best Original Score nominees must consist of at least 60% of original music. Sequels and franchise films must have at least 80% new music.
• All Academy members will be eligible to participate in the preliminary nomination votes for the international feature film award provided that they meet minimum viewing requirements.
• This will be the last year that movie studios can mail physical DVDs to Academy voters. In order to reduce physical waste, future screenings may only be done through the Academy’s private member-only Streaming Room platform.

The 93rd Academy Awards is currently scheduled for February 28, 2021. Read more details in Variety.