New Rules Announced for Acting and International Films; Clear Policy on AI Use Introduced

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has implemented significant changes to the rules and eligibility criteria for the Oscars. Going forward, the same actor can receive multiple nominations in the same acting category within a single year. For the International Feature Film category, the focus will shift from the submitting country to the film itself, with the director’s name featured on the trophy.

The Academy regards these changes as some of the most substantial in its nearly century-long history. Now, if an actor earns multiple performances ranked among the top five in either the lead or supporting acting categories, they become eligible for all those nominations. This change could allow actors like Leonardo DiCaprio to be nominated twice in the same year for leading roles.

Significant revisions have also been made to the international film category. Films may now be submitted for Oscar consideration through two methods: first, by official selection from a country or region; second, by direct eligibility through winning a major award at an internationally recognized film festival. For this year, eligible festivals include Berlin, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, and Venice.

The Academy has also issued clear regulations concerning the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Only roles genuinely performed by humans will be considered eligible in acting categories. Similarly, only screenplays written entirely by hand will be accepted in writing categories. These changes are expected to have a major impact on the Oscar competition and its structure. There is considerable anticipation about how these new regulations will influence the upcoming 99th Academy Awards.