Explained: Academy Sets New Rules for Oscars 2025

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts announced changes to eligibility requirements for award categories, such as Best Picture, Animated Feature Film, International Feature Film, Music (Original Score), and Writing categories. The changes in Oscars 2025 rules seemingly aim to streamline the submission process and ensure fairness in judging.

Washington: Oscars, Hollywood's prestigious film awards, are making some big changes for their 97th edition. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is updating rules and protocols for the upcoming ceremony on March 2. These changes aim to support traditional movie theaters and enhance the overall experience for audiences worldwide.

One significant change involves the eligibility criteria for films. To qualify for consideration, films must now screen for at least one week in select major cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, the Bay Area, Chicago, Atlanta, and now Dallas-Fort Worth. This move encourages filmmakers to prioritize theatrical releases, ensuring that movies reach audiences in key markets.

• Let's break down the key changes in Best Picture category for Oscars 2025:

1. For the 97th Oscars, the Best Picture category will implement expanded theatrical eligibility requirements set by the Board of Governors in June 2023.
2. Following an initial qualifying run, defined as a one-week theatrical release in one of the six U.S. qualifying cities, films must meet additional theatrical standards for Best Picture eligibility.
3. These standards include an expanded theatrical run of seven days, in 10 of the top 50 U.S. markets, within 45 days after the initial release in 2024.
4. For films released later in the year with expansions after January 10, 2025, distributors must provide release plans to the Academy for verification.
5. Release plans for late-in-the-year films must incorporate a planned expanded theatrical run to be completed no later than January 24, 2025.
6. Non-U.S. territory releases can contribute to two of the 10 required markets.
7. Qualifying non-U.S. markets include the top 15 international theatrical markets plus the home territory for the film.
8. Alongside theatrical eligibility, consideration for the Best Picture category hinges on submission of a confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry (RAISE) form, meeting the requirements of two of the four standards.
9. Distributors and/or producing teams should seek PGA Mark Certification or awards determination no later than the date of the film’s first commercial screening in its qualifying run.

Additionally, there's an interesting shift happening in the animated feature and international feature categories. Animated films submitted by foreign countries can now be considered for both categories if they meet the necessary requirements. This opens up new opportunities for international filmmakers to showcase their work on a global stage.

• Animated Features Eligibility Expanded: Animated films submitted for the International Feature Film category can now also be considered for the Animated Feature Film category if they meet both categories' requirements.
• Extended Eligibility Period: The International Feature Film category now accepts entries from November 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.
• Music Category Changes: Individual statuettes will be awarded to up to three composers who fully contributed to a score, clarifying the definition of a group as a recognised band. The shortlist for Music (Original Score) will increase from 15 to 20 titles.
• Writing Categories Update: Submission now requires a final shooting script.
• Governors Awards Testimonial Updates: 1) Changes were also made to the testimonial awards presented at the Governors Awards. The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, given to a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production, will now be presented as an Oscar statuette. 2) The definition of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was revised to clarify the broad term humanitarian efforts; the award will be "given to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities."
• Scientific and Technical Awards Renaming: The Gordon E. Sawyer Award is now the Scientific and Technical Lifetime Achievement Award, and the John A. Bonner Award is renamed the Scientific and Technical Service Award.

These changes show how the Academy is keeping up with the changes in the film industry, making sure the Oscars stay important and fair. As we look forward to the 97th Oscars, everyone's excited to see the amazing movies that will be celebrated at the esteemed award gala.

It'll be interesting to see which Indian movie will represent the country at the Oscars 2025. Last time, the Malayalam movie 2018: Everyone is a Hero was selected as India's official entry to Oscars, but it didn't make it to the final list. The last season of the award gala witnessed Oppenheimer's dominance with 7 wins, while Poor Things got 4.

• When is the Oscars 2025 happening?

The Academy recently shared the schedule for the 97th Academy Awards. According to the details, Oscars 2025 is set for Sunday, March 2, 2025 (Monday, March 3, 2025, in India). It'll be held at the iconic Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, just like before. You can catch the ceremony live on ABC, like every year since 1976, and it's expected to be seen in over 200 countries worldwide.