The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) hosted its annual spring meeting recently to discuss awards season.
Many awards groups, including the Oscars, have regulations in place stating that films must first be publicly exhibited before a paying audience in a commercial cinema in Los Angeles County for at least a seven-day consecutive run commencing in the current calendar year.
In addition, non-theatrical public exhibition or distribution cannot occur prior to the first day of said qualifying run – though SAG does allow films that have a day-and-date release in theaters and on VOD to qualify.
Now though, in light of all the theater closures, SAG is considering changing its eligibility rules to be more flexible. SAG Awards executive producer Kathy Connell says:
“In light of everything going on in the world right now, we are considering a number of options – among them allowing films to stream before a qualifying run. At this time everything is in discussion and nothing is final.”
SAG reps claim they haven’t made any final decisions but should they do it then others could follow, in the process changing up awards season as any film released on a streaming service or VOD could technically qualify and may not need a theatrical run to do so.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association said last month it would loosen its Golden Globes eligibility rules for films, allowing contenders to be screened more readily via screening links rather than in cinemas.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has yet to announce any changes for the Oscars next year.
Source: Variety
