Academy Expands International Oscar Eligibility to More Festivals

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is broadening the list of film festivals whose top award winners can qualify for the International Oscar category without national committee selection. This expansion, confirmed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer, aims to increase global representation for the awards.

New rules introduced in May initially allowed films winning top awards at six major festivals to qualify directly. The Academy plans to add more festivals to this list. "Our plan is to expand the number of festivals," Kramer said. The initial six were chosen for their juried awards. "We started with six festivals because we wanted to make sure there were juried awards, which not every festival has."

Another recent rule change allows refugee filmmakers to submit films through host-country committees. The Academy's growing international membership, now at 25%, is a key driver behind these changes.

YouTube secures 2029 Oscars broadcast rights

YouTube won the rights to broadcast the Academy Awards starting in 2029, with a deal extending through 2033. Its first broadcast will be the 101st Oscars ceremony. The platform's agreement will reach an estimated 2.5 billion people simultaneously in more than 30 languages.

This shift follows Disney's broadcast deal with ABC, which has hosted the Oscars since 1976 and runs through 2028. The Academy cited YouTube's global reach as aligning with its own increasing international makeup. The move mirrors other streaming platforms acquiring major awards shows: Netflix broadcasts the SAG Awards, and Prime Video will broadcast the Emmys starting in 2027.

Tokyo Film Festival hosts Academy talks

Academy leaders are attending the Tokyo International Film Festival, which runs until November 4, for a series of public talks titled Academy in Tokyo. CEO Bill Kramer confirmed the eligibility expansion plans in an interview at the festival. He is attending alongside Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor and Chief Membership, Impact and Industry Officer Meredith Shea.

Kramer is also due to receive an honorary leadership award at the festival. The Academy has been in constant conversation with global film festivals as it seeks greater representation for the International Oscar category.

Streaming platforms reshape awards landscape

The shift to YouTube is part of a broader trend of major technology companies entering the film and television awards space. This move can create friction, as cited in the example of Amazon's handling of Luca Guadagnino's film Artificial. The Academy's choice of YouTube directly reflects its strategic goal of maximizing global audience access for the Oscars ceremony.