96th Academy Awards (Oscar) – Selective Ranks

The 96th Academy Awards is an upcoming ceremony to be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), dedicated to recognizing the outstanding films of 2023. Anticipated to unfold at the illustrious Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, this edition is poised to implement novel regulations geared towards enhancing diversity and inclusion within the industry. The event, slated to be broadcasted by ABC in the United States, will be orchestrated by producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan, with Hamish Hamilton at the helm as the director. Esteemed comedian Jimmy Kimmel is set to assume hosting duties for the fourth occasion, reprising his role from the 89th, 90th, and 95th ceremonies in 2017, 2018, and 2023, respectively.

A noteworthy development for this year is the mandatory enforcement of diversity rules for the Best Picture category. The Academy, as part of its Academy Aperture 2025 initiative launched in June 2020, introduced a set of “representation and inclusion standards.” Under these guidelines, films vying for contention in the Best Picture category must satisfy specific criteria falling under four general standards. These encompass on-screen representation, themes, and narratives; creative leadership and project team; industry access and opportunities; and audience development.

While these standards have been in existence since 2020, it is only with the 96th Academy Awards that compliance becomes obligatory. In the previous two editions (94th and 95th Awards, covering films released in 2021 and 2022), filmmakers were only required to submit a confidential Academy Inclusion Standards form for data purposes, and adherence was not compulsory. The standards, as described by Vox, can be broadly categorized into two themes: those promoting more inclusive representation and those fostering more inclusive employment. They aim to broaden employment opportunities across various facets of the film industry for underrepresented groups, spanning racial and ethnic minorities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with cognitive or physical disabilities, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.