As films with no theatrical release are not eligible for the Oscars, Netflix tried to get around that with “Beasts of No Nation” by showing it a couple of times in LA theaters. It seems that the Academy did not want to reward that strategy, although the film is a worthy one. I wonder how much of this is studio vs. subscriber TV industry politics. It’s a commonplace now that the creative energy and innovation seems to have shifted away from film into television these days.
I also think part of the problem is the type of film the Academy favors. It doesn’t like genre films (comedy, suspense, action); it likes big-budget “serious message” pictures. A lot of very good actors who primarily work in genre films get short shrift at nomination time; I don’t know how much it has to do with their race so much as the kinds of films the Academy values.
The Academy will now discriminate against the old in order to implement these new rules. If a person hasn’t worked in the industry in ten years, they lose voting rights (in an industry that treats women over 40 as over the hill). As if the elderly lose their ability to determine a great performance.
I want to clarify that when I refer to the news media in disparaging terms, I am mostly talking about TV news on commercial networks. Print and radio–ie, NPR–include entities that have much higher standards
I think an exception is made for those who have been nominated or who won an Academy Award so oldies like Kirk Douglas or Joanne Woodward would still be able to vote. Other older actors who haven’t worked (perhaps because Hollywood is so youth centric) will lose their voting privileges.
Perhaps those white Hollywood people calling for diversity should put their money where their mouth is, if they want to be seen as credible?
Maybe Matt Damon should have turned down the lead in The Martian and insisted some minority be given the part, or Director Michael Moore, or Q. Tarantino, (Mr. Black Lives Matter), should step down as director and insist a minority replace him/them? At the very least, Tarantino should have to hire predominantly minorities for his next movie, even if there is no historical accuracy needed, right? Perhaps singer Katy Perry should give away 90% of her earnings the next 4 or 5 years to the poor to do her part to resolve income inequality? Or does she want to keep earning and keeping the big money?
I think those who aren’t white Hollywood people have a legitimate complaint.
For so many Hollywood people, the outrage seems to be- We need to give more money/time/fame to minorities, after I get mine!