Oscars Will Require Movies to Meet Inclusion Standards to Become Eligible for Best Picture, Starting in 2024

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that movies will have to meet new Inclusion Standards in order to be eligible for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, starting the ceremony to be held in 2024.

The new requirements are being put in to place “to encourage equitable representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience.”

Four different standards have been drafted and films will have to meet at least two of the standards in order to be eligible for the top prize at the Oscars.

While the requirements won’t be enforced until the 2024 ceremony, the Academy Inclusion Standards form must be submitted for films being entered for consideration for the 2022 ceremony and the 2023 ceremony. No action is required for movies that will be submitted for the upcoming 2021 ceremony, which will be held on April 25.

“The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them,” Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a joint statement. “The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality. We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”

Click inside to read about the four standards…

You can read about the four standards below. Movies will have to meet at least two of the four standards to be eligible for Best Picture.

ACADEMY INCLUSION STANDARDS

STANDARD A: ON-SCREEN REPRESENTATION, THEMES AND NARRATIVES

To achieve Standard A, the film must meet ONE of the following criteria:

• A1. Lead or significant supporting actors At least one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.

  Asian
  Hispanic/Latinx
  Black/African American
  Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
  Middle Eastern/North African
  Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
  Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

• A2. General ensemble cast At least 30% of all actors in secondary and more minor roles are from at least two of the following underrepresented groups:

  Women
  Racial or ethnic group
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

• A3. Main storyline/subject matter The main storyline(s), theme or narrative of the film is centered on an underrepresented group(s).

  Women
  Racial or ethnic group
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

STANDARD B: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT TEAM

To achieve Standard B, the film must meet ONE of the criteria below:

• B1. Creative leadership and department heads At least two of the following creative leadership positions and department heads — Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer — are from the following underrepresented groups:

  Women
  Racial or ethnic group
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

  At least one of those positions must belong to the following underrepresented racial or ethnic group:

  Asian
  Hispanic/Latinx
  Black/African American
  Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
  Middle Eastern/North African
  Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
  Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

• B2. Other key roles At least six other crew/team and technical positions (excluding Production Assistants) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. These positions include but are not limited to First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, etc.
• B3. Overall crew composition At least 30% of the film’s crew is from the following underrepresented groups:

  Women
  Racial or ethnic group
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

STANDARD C: INDUSTRY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES

To achieve Standard C, the film must meet BOTH criteria below:

• C1. Paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities

  The film’s distribution or financing company has paid apprenticeships or internships that are from the following underrepresented groups and satisfy the criteria below:

  Women
  Racial or ethnic group
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

  The major studios/distributors are required to have substantive, ongoing paid apprenticeships/internships inclusive of underrepresented groups (must also include racial or ethnic groups) in most of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.

  The mini-major or independent studios/distributors must have a minimum of two apprentices/interns from the above underrepresented groups (at least one from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group) in at least one of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.

• C2. Training opportunities and skills development (crew) The film’s production, distribution and/or financing company offers training and/or work opportunities for below-the-line skill development to people from the following underrepresented groups:

  Women
  Racial or ethnic group
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

STANDARD D: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

To achieve Standard D, the film must meet the criterion below:

• D1. Representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution The studio and/or film company has multiple in-house senior executives from among the following underrepresented groups (must include individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups) on their marketing, publicity, and/or distribution teams.

  Women
  Asian
  Hispanic/Latinx
  Black/African American
  Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
  Middle Eastern/North African
  Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
  Other underrepresented race or ethnicity
  LGBTQ+
  People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

All categories other than Best Picture will be held to their current eligibility requirements.

Films in specialty categories submitted for Best Picture/General Entry consideration (e.g. Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and International Feature Film) will be addressed separately.