Movies | The Oscar gala changes its rules: to win the Oscar for best film, the film must run on the big screen longer

of the United States The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced new rules for the Oscars. The Academy’s new rules have been reported by, among other things The Los Angeles Times and a film industry magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

The Academy states that in the future, films that are nominated for the Best Picture Oscar must be shown in cinemas in the largest cities in the United States for an additional seven days. In the past, a week-long theatrical release has been enough.

Rules will take effect from the 2025 Oscars. The extended theatrical release rule does not apply to categories other than Best Picture.

In an analysis by the Los Angeles Times, the longer theatrical distribution rules are the Academy’s response to the growing market share of streaming services. The Hollywood Reporter assesses the same, according to which the decision wants to make a clearer distinction between works made for small screens and big screens.

Still the greater part of movie consumption takes place at home. Companies like Netflix and Apple also need the boost brought by the Oscars for their streaming movies.

Premiered on the Apple TV+ service CODA (2021) was in 2022 the first Oscar winner for best film distributed on a streaming service.

This year, Apple’s big investment is by Martin Scorsese true drama Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), which has been tipped for success at next spring’s Oscar gala. The film, produced by Apple and distributed together with Paramount Pictures, will premiere in cinemas before appearing on the Apple TV+ service.

Netflix and Apple spend huge sums on Oscar campaigns, so an additional seven days of distribution is unlikely to cause them problems. According to the Los Angeles Times, finding theaters can be more difficult for smaller film companies, which already have a hard time getting their films into proper theatrical distribution.