The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced new inclusion standards on the evening of 8 September 2020 designed to encourage filmmakers worldwide to improve diversity and inclusion in hiring, casting and marketing. From this point forward, productions that want to be eligible for the prestigious Best Picture category at the Oscars will need to comply with these new requirements.
Beginning in the 2022–2023 awards cycle, filmmakers will be required to submit an “Academy Inclusion Standards Form” to be considered for Best Picture. The form is the first step toward full compliance with the inclusion standards that take effect in 2024 for the 96th Academy Awards. To qualify for Best Picture consideration at that ceremony, a film must meet the inclusion standards in at least two of the following four categories:
A – On-Screen Representation, Themes and Narratives
B – Creative Leadership and Project Team
C – Industry Access and Opportunities
D – Audience Development
See below for the full list of standards.
Calls for greater diversity around the Oscars have been public and persistent. In 2015 activist April Reign drew attention to the lack of diversity with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, after the acting nominations for the 87th Academy Awards were criticized for under-representation. Since then, the Academy and its leadership have pledged to make the organization and its awards more inclusive.
In 2016, then-Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs set a goal to double the number of female members in the Academy by 2020, a target the organization met. That effort is part of a broader movement that includes the Academy Aperture 2025 Initiative, which aims to expand representation across the industry.
“The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them. The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality. We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”
— Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson
The full list of standards are as follows…
STANDARD A: ON-SCREEN REPRESENTATION, THEMES AND NARRATIVES
To meet Standard A, a film must satisfy ONE of the following criteria:
A1. Lead or significant supporting actors
At least one lead or significant supporting player is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, including:
- Asian
- Hispanic/Latinx
- Black/African American
- Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
- Middle Eastern/North African
- Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
- Other underrepresented race or ethnicity
A2. General ensemble cast
At least 30% of actors in secondary or minor roles must belong to at least two of the following underrepresented groups:
- Women
- Racial or ethnic groups
- LGBTQ+
- People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
A3. Main storyline or subject matter
The film’s primary storyline, themes or narratives are centered on one or more underrepresented groups such as:
- Women
- Racial or ethnic groups
- LGBTQ+
- People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
STANDARD B: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT TEAM
To satisfy Standard B, a film must meet ONE of these criteria:
B1. Creative leadership and department heads
At least two key creative leadership roles or department heads — for example Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, or Writer — must be filled by people from underrepresented groups, including women, racial or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, or people with disabilities. At least one of those positions must be held by a person from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group (listed under A1).
B2. Other key roles
At least six other crew or technical positions (excluding production assistants) must be filled by people from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. These roles may include First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, and similar positions.
B3. Overall crew composition
At least 30% of the film’s crew must be from the following underrepresented groups:
- Women
- Racial or ethnic groups
- LGBTQ+
- People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
STANDARD C: INDUSTRY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES
To satisfy Standard C, the film must meet BOTH of the following criteria:
C1. Paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities
The film’s distribution or financing company must offer paid apprenticeships or internships that include people from underrepresented groups — women, racial or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. For major studios and distributors, these paid, ongoing programs should be substantive and inclusive across most departments such as production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity. Mini-major or independent distributors must provide at least two apprentices or interns from these underrepresented groups (including at least one person from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group) in at least one of those departments.
C2. Training opportunities and skills development (crew)
The production, distribution and/or financing company must provide training, mentorship, or work opportunities aimed at below-the-line skill development for people from underrepresented groups, including women, racial or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
STANDARD D: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
To meet Standard D, a film must satisfy the following:
D1. Representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution
The studio and/or film company must have multiple in-house senior marketing, publicity or distribution executives from underrepresented groups, and this must include individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. Represented groups include:
- Women
- Racial or ethnic groups (Asian; Hispanic/Latinx; Black/African American; Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native; Middle Eastern/North African; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; or other underrepresented races or ethnicities)
- LGBTQ+
- People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
At the time of this announcement, these inclusion standards apply specifically to the Best Picture category. Other categories, such as Best Animated Feature and Best Documentary Feature, may be reviewed separately if those films also seek Best Picture consideration.
The Academy Aperture 2025 Initiative represents the Academy’s broader effort to move toward a more inclusive future for the Oscars and for the film industry as a whole.