[ad_1]
LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) – Organizers of the Oscars said Tuesday (April 28) that films released only on streaming or video-on-demand platforms while theaters are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic would be eligible for the Academy next year.
The temporary change, which will apply only for next year’s Oscars and will expire when theaters are reopened across the country, was announced in a statement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Previously, a movie had to be screened in a movie theater in Los Angeles for at least seven days to be eligible for Oscar consideration.
“The Academy firmly believes that there is no better way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theater. Our commitment to that has not changed and is unwavering. However, the historic and tragic Covid-19 pandemic needs this temporary exception. to our eligibility for awards. rules, “said President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, referring to the illness caused by the virus.
Streaming platforms like Netflix have turned Hollywood, drawing A-list stars like Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese and producing award-winning content as the best foreign language winner in 2019, Rome, which has rivaled what film studios have traditional can offer.
Theaters in the United States closed their doors in mid-March, forcing major movie releases to be postponed.
The three major theater chains (AMC, Regal and Cinemark) have said they don’t expect to reopen until the end of June or July.
Some movies, including Universal Pictures’ animated Trolls World Tour, have been released directly to streaming or video-on-demand platforms.
Universal will do the same with Judd Apatow’s upcoming comedy The King of Staten Island, while Walt Disney has announced that it will release the children’s fantasy film Artemis Fowl on its Disney + streaming platform instead of waiting for theaters to return to open. Others are expected to follow.
The Oscars, the top awards in the film industry, still take place in Hollywood on February 28, 2021.
[ad_2]
