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Why Oscars 2019 have become controversial inviting an open letter from over 100 Hollywood celebrities!

PUBLISHED DATE : 15/Feb/2019

Why Oscars 2019 have become controversial inviting an open letter from over 100 Hollywood celebrities!

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In case you aren't aware of the major commotion going on in Hollywood right now, a major chunk of actors, directors, cinematographers and producers have penned an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after their board of directors decided to announce the nominees and winners of  cinematography, film editing, live-action shorts and makeup and hair-styling during commercial breaks of the 91st Academy Awards aka the Oscars telecast. 

The film academy says that these four categories were were volunteered by their branches and that their winning speeches will be included in the broadcast; only the time spent walking to the stage and off, will be edited out.

They also say that  change in the show was discussed and agreed to by the Board of Governors in August, 2018 and that in future years, four to six categories will be selected for rotation and categories selected one year will be exempted in the next. 

However, the decision has invited a major uproar among Hollywood celebrities and together they have spoken against Oscars' 'shortening strategy'.

The following open letter has been signed by over a 100 Hollywood names which include the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Scarlett Johanssen, Martin Scorsese, Quentitn Tarantino, Bradley Copper, Christopher Nolan, Alfonso Cuaron, Kate Winselet, Drew Barrymore, Sandra Bullock, Robert DeNiro, Ryan Gosling, Jude Law, Emma Stone, Olivia Wilde, Hans Zimmer among others. 

 

An Open Letter to AMPAS and the Producers of the 91st Annual Academy Awards Broadcast

 

On Monday, February 11, 2019,  John Bailey, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, announced that this year’s Oscar presentations for Best Cinematography — along with Film Editing, Live Action Short and Makeup and Hairstyling — will not be broadcast live, but rather presented during a commercial break. This decision was made to reduce the length of the show from four hours to three. The vocal response from our peers and the immediate backlash from industry leaders over the Academy’s decision makes it clear that it’s not too late to have this decision reversed. 


The Academy was founded in 1927 to recognize and uphold excellence in the cinematic arts, inspire imagination and help connect the world through the universal medium of motion pictures.


Unfortunately, we have drifted from this mission in our pursuit of presenting entertainment rather than in presenting a celebration of our art form and the people behind it.  


Relegating these essential cinematic crafts to lesser status in this 91st Academy Awards ceremony is nothing less than an insult to those of us who have devoted our lives and passions to our chosen profession.     


The show’s director, Glenn Weiss, has stated that he will determine what “emotionally resonant” moments from the four winners’ speeches will be selected to air later in the broadcast. The show will cut any additional comment from presenters, as well as any recitation of the nominees as they see fit.


We consider this abbreviation and potential censorship to run contrary to the spirit of the Academy’s mission. 


Since its inception, the Academy Awards telecast has been altered over time to keep the format fresh, but never by sacrificing the integrity of the Academy’s original mission.


When the recognition of those responsible for the creation of outstanding cinema is being diminished by the very institution whose purpose it is to protect it, then we are no longer upholding the spirit of the Academy’s promise to celebrate film as a collaborative art form. 


To quote our colleague Seth Rogen, “What better way to celebrate achievements in film than to NOT publicly honor the people whose job it is to literally film things.”

 

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