Change of rules: “Yes” to foreigners in any language
After years of controversy, a small revolution has taken place within the Academy Awards: a modification of the rules will allow for the nomination of foreign films even if they are not shot in the original language of their country.
For example, a German film shot in a Middle Eastern language can now be taken into consideration whereas, until recently, the film had to be made solely in the language of the country (unless it was shot in English).
At the last Oscars, Private [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Saverio Costanzo, Italy’s Oscar nominee, was excluded from competition because it was not shot in Italian. This exclusion provoked much controversy and led the Academy to re-examine the rules and adapt them for an increasingly more globalised world.
Another important change implemented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is an increase in the number of members who select the nominees.
Traditionally, a group of voters in Los Angeles came up with the short list from which the winners were selected, but now there will be two voting phases. In the first, a 700-member selection committee in Los Angeles will choose an initial list of nine nominees for each category. Subsequently, 10 members of the first group will work with 10 other members from L.A. and 10 from New York to create a second selection committee that will decide upon the final five titles.
(Translated from Italian)
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