Membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spans many creative professionals from filmmakers and actors to craftspeople and studio exhibitors.
One group that has only a very small footprint though are exhibitors (five in total of the estimated 11,000 members), and now the group is reportedly lobbying for greater recognition or inclusion in the Academy.
Multiple sources tell trade paper Variety that there is a considerable push to include more theater owners and exhibitors within the new class of members due to be announced in late June.
One exhibitor says: “The Oscars have a new requirement for voters to watch all the movies, right? So why wouldn’t you include the group you know for certain watches everything? We watch everything…It’s a no-brainer.”
The push comes as the Academy has been touting the importance of theatrical releases more than ever. Films have always needed at least a one-week qualifying run in one of six U.S. markets (Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami or Atlanta).
Starting this past year, they must also meet new standards for broader theatrical distribution in an effort to promote a strong theatrical ecosystem and ensure the future of the film industry.
