The path to an Oscar statuette has become notably more nuanced following a comprehensive overhaul of the Academy’s rulebook. In preparation for the 99th Academy Awards in March 2027, the Board of Governors has introduced several shifts that challenge long-standing traditions, offering a particularly intriguing outlook for international cinema and the future of human performance.
One of the most striking adjustments concerns the acting categories. In a departure from previous constraints, actors are now permitted to receive multiple nominations within a single category — whether Lead or Supporting — provided their different performances both rank in the top five during the voting process. Historically, a second high-ranking performance would simply be discarded in favour of the actor’s most popular role. Furthermore, the Academy has drawn a firm line in the sand regarding the rise of digital technology: only human actors, credited and consenting, are eligible for recognition. This human-centric approach extends to the writers’ branch, where screenplays must be entirely authored by people, and the Academy has reserved the right to demand transparency regarding the use of generative AI in any production.
For the Indian film industry, the most consequential change lies in the Best International Feature category. The restrictive “one country, one film” rule, which often led to heartbreak and controversy when high-profile snubs occurred at the national selection level, has finally been bypassed. While the official committee route remains, films can now qualify independently by winning top prizes at elite festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, or Busan. This dual-track system means a nation could feasibly see several of its best cinematic exports competing against one another in the same year. Additionally, the award will now be formally attributed to the director rather than the submitting country, ensuring that filmmakers like Joachim Trier are the named recipients on the statuette itself.
Technical categories have also been refined to ensure a more rigorous voting process. Makeup and hairstyling voters are now mandated to attend final roundtables, while those in the visual effects branch must review specific “before and after” reels to properly assess the craft. The Casting award has expanded its potential winners from two to three people, and the Cinematography category will now utilise a fixed shortlist of 20 films for its preliminary round. Even the Original Song category saw a minor tweak, requiring that any song played over the start of the end credits must include the final 15 seconds of the film’s footage in its submission clip.
Beyond the screen, the Governors Awards will now adhere to a diversity requirement, ensuring that the three honourees chosen each year represent three distinct filmmaking disciplines. These updates, finalised by the Academy’s Awards Committee, set the stage for the 99th ceremony in 2027, followed by the landmark 100th anniversary awards on March 5, 2028. For filmmakers across the globe, the message is clear: the Academy is attempting to modernise, even as it clings tightly to the necessity of the human touch.
