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LOS ANGELES - The Oscars is setting new diversity standards for the Best Picture category in 2024 for the 96th Oscars.
The Academy unveiled the requirements on Tuesday, and stated that the standards encourage representation on and off screen. In order for a film to be eligible for Best Picture, a film must meet two out of the four standards. The four standard categories are on screen representation, themes and narratives, creative leadership and project team, industry access and opportunities, and audience development. The film must fill roles with people from underrepresented groups in those categories, including women, people of color, people with disabilities, and people from the LGBTQ community.
The decision is being both criticized and praised.
"I think it's important because we're telling stories to the world and the world needs to know that there is diversity. There's not only one single look or single look story and when you tell a story, it's amazing and it's important to have diversity. If you don't have that diversity, you're not telling the story the way it is," said Diana Hernandez, an actress, TV host and influencer.
Hernandez said it is difficult for people of color and specifically, Latinos, to find roles, and the roles are sometimes stereotypical.
"I know a lot of people out there, writers, producers, directors have been trying to create more content and films and stories that include us but its still very very hard and the roles are very minimal for us. Even though there are roles out there for us, they are still the same, the cleaning lady, or the person that just crossed the border or someone that has been chased by the police. We're also doctors, engineers, nurses. We are a lot more than that," she said.
Popular film critic, Shawn Edwards, believes the new standards are problematic.
"I understand inclusion is very important, but let's not attach it to winning awards. It's just not the right idea. You can't tell filmmakers what to film. You can't tell storytellers how to tell the stories they want to tell. Inclusion begins before you hand out trophies. It begins way before you start filming. It begins way before you start voting on certain types of movies. It's just not the way to go," Edwards said.
Edwards said the move follows Oscars criticism and the "Oscars So White" hashtag.
"Five years ago, you had the explosion of the hashtag of Oscars So White, so yes, the diversity issue is a concern and it's always been a concern, and it's always needed to be addressed. You just have to address it the correct way, and you can't correct 100 years in just a couple of years. It's going to take time. This new inclusion policy seems forced. It seems reactive and it doesn't seem well thought out," he said.
He said the "real issue" is not being addressed.
"If filmmakers of color could get the same types of money as everyone else then they could make movies on their own terms anyway. No one's addressing the financing of the film. That's where it begins. It's the money," he said.
Aside from the Best Picture category, all other Academy categories will keep their current eligibility requirements.