Oscars forced to drop 92nd Academy Awards amid pandemic

The Academy Awards will for the first time allow films that debuted on a streaming service without a theatrical run to be eligible for nominations, a break with tradition in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Academy announced the new criteria for the Oscars in a statement on Tuesday. The change is not permanent, however, and will only apply to films released this year, The Guardian reports.

The Academy also said it will condense the two sound categories into one, and, in an effort to become more carbon neutral, prohibit DVD screeners for 2022’s 94th Oscars.

Oscars eligibility has been a major question since stay-at-home and social distancing orTheders led to both the cancellation of major film festivals, including prominent pre-award season events such as South by Southwest and Cannes Film Festival, and the closure of movie theaters across the globe.

Previously, a film would have required a minimum seven-day theatrical run in a Los Angeles county commercial theater in order to be considered for the Academy’s highest honor. Now films that had a previously planned theatrical release but are made available through on-demand service may qualify for best picture and other categories.