The Oscars have come under fire for introducing new diversity and inclusion rules to be effective by 2024.
For a movie to be eligible for a “Best Picture” Oscar, it must adhere to these standards.
The Oscars’ recent introduction of their Aperture 2025 initiative — a comprehensive set of standards meant to foster inclusivity and equality in Hollywood — led to the voicing of concern by several voters.
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“This is utterly absurd,” claimed one director in a discussion with The Post.
“I advocate for diversity, but forcing certain casting decisions in order to gain a nomination? That reduces the whole process to a sham. The role should go to the most suitable person. Why should creative choices be constrained? But this is the reality we’re dealing with. This is madness.”
Starting in 2024, film producers and directors are mandated to provide the Academy with a comprehensive breakdown detailing the race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability status of their film’s cast and crew members.
A top Hollywood producer echoed the sentiment, stating that the new diversity regulations are not widely embraced within the industry, according to the news outlet.
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Nonetheless, many remain silent on the issue, wary of the repercussions of “cancel culture.”
“Consider the loss if acclaimed movies were never produced due to corporate dictations mandating each film to comply with the prerequisites for a Best Picture nomination?” questioned the director.
Iconic films such as “The Godfather” and “Schindler’s List” might not have met the criteria for Best Picture under these recently enforced inclusivity requirements.
Legendary actor Richard Dreyfuss, in the meantime, expressed strong disapproval of Hollywood’s new inclusivity norms in an interview last month, equating them to “nausea.”
As originally reported on Hollywood in Toto, PBS host Margaret Hoover broached the topic during her interview with the actor on “Firing Line.”
On being asked, “What’s your take on these new film inclusion requirements?”
Dreyfuss was straightforward in his response, “They induce nausea.”
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In defense of his outright dismissal, he stated, “While it is an art form and a commercial endeavor, it is still art. And no one should dictate to me, as an artist, to conform to the most recent definition of morality.”
He insisted that he does not believe any segment of society should be granted undue consideration, stating, “And I’m sorry, I don’t believe there’s any group in this country that should be appeased in such a way.”
In 2020, the Oscars issued these controversial rules and rationalized that they were “intended to encourage fair representation on and off the screen to more accurately mirror the diversity of the cinema audience.”
“The film industry must broaden its scope to represent our varied global populace in both film creation and the audience that engages with them. The Academy is determined to play a crucial role in actualizing this vision,” stated the Oscars official website.
Failure to comply with these rigorous rules could be harmful for a film aiming for a Best Picture nomination, as a film could be disqualified from Oscar contention if it does not employ a diverse enough workforce.
Despite backlash from Oscar voters and critics, this year’s Best Picture winner complied with the inclusion criteria.
The 2023 Academy Awards saw “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a sci-fi indie with a primarily Asian cast, including Michelle Yeoh and comeback star Ke Huy Quan, winning Best Picture.
One Hollywood executive conceded he’s willing to embrace the new rules, with a few caveats.
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“The priority should be to create the best film,” the executive informed the media.
“I aspire to be inclusive, but I won’t cast someone from a specific ethnic group that doesn’t fit the narrative merely to comply. I also won’t introduce an LGBTQ+ character that is inconsistent with the story. Implementing these rules could compromise the film’s integrity. It’s absurd to be dictated to at the cost of audience engagement.”
Artical Source http://www.foxnews.com
