Predicting favorites is more difficult than ever: the Academy of the International Executive Committee cannot choose three titles from the list either.
Like many other organizations, the Academy is using the pandemic as an excuse to make long-awaited changes. The list of finalists for the Best International Feature Film – which will be announced on February 9, along with eight other lists from other categories – is expanding from 10 to 15, meaning that more films than ever will be visible for voting final indications. In the first phase, each voter participating in the general committee, which is made up of a branch of the Academy, has a list of a dozen films they must watch to vote in a secret ballot (and give more obscure resources a chance to fight. ).
The Academy is also abandoning, for the time being, the controversial addition of three handpicked titles (often festivals and critics’ favorites) by the International Executive Committee to the original scores of the larger general committee. This will make many people happy. This year, with online voting opportunities extended to the Global Academy, votes are no longer limited to a small group of (often) retired participants in face-to-face exhibitions in Los Angeles. This year may reflect a broader perspective, avoiding the need for a more “sophisticated” group to add more toned titles.
Dan Levine, Mark Johnson and Aaron Ryder
Photo by Rob Latour / Variety / REX / Shutterstock
Longtime foreign language Oscar czar Mark Johnson instituted executive additions when Oscar voters, often popular, refused to include the 2007 Palme d’Or winner in Cannes, “4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days ”. The governor of the writer’s business, Larry Karaszewski, and the governor of directors Susanne Bier now head the International Executive Feature Film Committee, which is responsible for administering the category rules and determining the film’s eligibility.
“All dates and questions of rules and eligibility for the 93rd Academy Award are subject to change based on national guidelines, state government orders and best practices determined by the Academy.” said an AMPAS spokesman.
The old voting method allowed preliminary voters to choose their five main films, resulting in seven options. This year, the maximum total will yield 15 films; the 2021 vote will take place from 1 to 5 February. For the second round of voting, voters must see all 15 films on the list.
All of this leaves advertisers pulling their hair out. Not only do they have less ways to influence voters, but with the rules changing under their feet, it is also more difficult to predict the outcome. How will a more diverse and international vote group change the content of the results, and will the second round favor the most popular titles seen by more voters? Nothing to do but be fascinated by the changes taking place around us.
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