The Academy of Motion Picture Arts has now joined with the legacy of Soviet era movie making. Best Picture nominees will now have to check the boxes for wokeness in order to be considered for Best Picture. Like all Soviet era movies, pictures will have to exalt diversity and not true art. Imagine a movie like Letters from Okinawa with a diverse cast portraying the Japanese Army. Something about any movie portraying high ranking Nazi officials. Like the Nazis demanded of Hollywood prior to World War II, those people behind the camera will have to be within official guidelines. Germans demanded that no Jews be behind or in front of the camera. Today, conservative actors will probably be denied roles or work if a camera man or composer.
Under the new guidelines for Best Picture eligibility, films must meet two of four standards which are on-screen representation, themes, and narratives; creative leadership and project team; industry access and opportunities; and audience development.
In terms of on-screen representation, films must have at least one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors represent an underrepresented racial group, with at least 30 percent of all actors in minor roles from underrepresented groups.
As a way to push for more diversity and inclusion behind the cameras, creative leadership on films is encouraged to be made up of women, underrepresented racial or ethnic group, a part of the LGBTQ+ community or people with disabilities.
30 percent of the film’s crew is encouraged to be made up of underrepresented communities, as well.
A new focus on including women, underrepresented racial or ethnic group, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities in paid apprenticeships and internships will also make a film qualify for the Best Picture category.
The Academy is also focusing on the representation of groups in the marketing, publicity and distribution of films, with hopes for higher inclusions of women, Latinx, Asian, Black and Indigenous groups.