AMPAS Expands Oscar-Qualifying Film Festivals — SkimNews
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- AMPAS plans to expand the list of festivals that can serve as standalone qualifiers for the International Oscar category, currently limited to Berlin, Busan, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, and Venice.
- Bill Kramer confirmed the expansion is part of a broader effort to globalize the Oscars, following a rule change allowing refugee filmmakers to submit films through host countries.
- AMPAS requires that qualifying festivals have juried awards, which was the rationale for initially limiting the list to six major festivals.
- Bill Kramer stated that 25% of AMPAS membership now resides outside the U.S., reflecting a shift in global film production and consumption patterns.
- AMPAS will broadcast the Oscars on YouTube starting in 2029, a move Kramer said enables global, simultaneous access in over 30 languages with greater control over viewer experience.
- Bill Kramer emphasized that there will be no censorship on the Oscars broadcast, noting that Google and YouTube understand the Academy’s editorial independence.
Why it matters: By expanding qualifying festivals, AMPAS gives more non-Western and independent films a pathway to Oscar contention, reducing reliance on national committees that may lack resources or inclusivity. This shift, paired with the YouTube broadcast deal, materially increases global access and representation, aligning the Academy’s practices with its increasingly international membership.
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