Academy tweaks rules for shorts, docs
Foreign films could benefit at 71st Awards
Changes approved by the governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences include a dispensation for foreign-language films that hope to qualify in the Academy's various narrative categories; a prohibition against episodes of TV series entering the two short-film categories; and a requirement that a film's director be a recipient of awards given in the documentary categories.
The change affecting foreign-language entries allows a film that has its first theatrical release overseas to appear in non-theatrical contexts (broadcast or cable TV, video, etc.) outside the U.S. beginning six months after the start of its theatrical run, even if the qualifying seven-day Los Angeles run has not yet occurred.
"This is an experiment of sorts," Academy president Robert Rehme said. "We don't expect it to have much of an impact on the eligibility pool, but if it's helpful to a picture or two we're willing to try it."
Rehme stressed that the rule "still makes it very clear that films which receive their first public exhibition in any form other than commercial theatrical exhibition are not eligible for Academy Awards in any category."
The rule change in the short-film category closes a previously open television door. An addition to the rules states that "an unaired episode of an established TV series or an unsold TV series pilot will not be accepted as a short film in the Academy's short-film competition."
An unsold pilot won the Oscar in the live-action short category in 1996, and the Academy has had a steady stream of inquiries since then from producers of TV series.
The Academy's board of governors also clarified who can accept an Oscar for a documentary film, specifying that the director must be one of the recipients.
Rules are reviewed annually by branch and category committees. The Awards Rules Committee then reviews all proposed changes before presenting its recommendations to the governors.
"There were no earthshaking new developments in the art form that had to be addressed and no serious problems that turned up in last year's rules," Rehme said, "so 1998 is essentially a 'tweaking' year for us."
Academy Award nominations will be announced at 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 9, 1999, at the Academy in Beverly Hills. Oscars will be presented during a live telecast from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center of Los Angeles County beginning at 5:30 p.m. (PT) March 21.
