'No Zoom' Oscars: Academy mandates nominees' in-person attendance, faces backlash
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apparently issued a mandate that there will be no video-conferencing facilities like Zoom available for the 93rd Oscars ceremony. The nominees were informed via letters last week that it was mandatory to attend the ceremony in-person in case a winner needs to give an acceptance speech. This decision caused an uproar amid the pandemic restrictions.
Reasons why this year's Oscars event is a logistical nightmare
This mandate is a big issue this year since many nominees don't live in the United States. Those who do live in the US cannot be present as many of them are currently working in international locations like the UK, Australia, and many European countries. And then there's the resurgence in coronavirus cases and virus mutations, which have made Oscars a logistical nightmare.
'There's been no clarity; it's incredibly frustrating,' says studio executive
Two meetings were supposed to take place last week to discuss guidelines and requirements for the international nominees to enable them to participate in the Oscars ceremony. Both meetings were postponed to a later date before being canceled abruptly. No new date for the meetings has been provided as of now. "There's been no clarity. It's incredibly frustrating," a studio executive told Variety.
One good news though, Oscars still happening on April 25
One good news is that the Oscars ceremony is still happening on Sunday, April 25 (April 26, 5.30 am in India). Union Station in Los Angeles is going to be one of the venues, with the other being Dolby Theater in Hollywood for musical performances and other production elements. There will be no host at the Oscars for the third time in a row.
This year's Academy Awards nominees are the most diverse
This year's Academy nominations are more diverse than ever with 76 nominations for women and more diverse acting nominees. Chloe Zhao-directed Nomadland and Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman are two of the frontrunners across multiple categories this time. Both Zhao and Fennell are not in the US. Nominees like Carey Mulligan, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hopkins, and Vanessa Kirby are also in other countries.
