Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Lynette Howell Taylor says the Oscars will continue to honor human work as artificial intelligence becomes more common in filmmaking. She is in Japan with other Academy leaders for the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Howell Taylor says AI has been part of post-production for a decade and is already integrated into visual effects. The Academy regularly discusses the technology in relation to eligibility, including concerns about copyright, transparency and disclosure.
Under rules for the 99th Oscars, a non-English-language film can qualify for international feature without being its country’s official submission if it wins the top prize at one of six festivals: Berlin, Busan, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto or Venice.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and chief membership, impact and industry officer Meredith Shea say the International Feature Executive Committee will review the rules each year. It will consider changes to ensure the category reflects the needs of filmmakers around the world.
Shea says the festival route adds to existing options for filmmakers working in exile. An earlier rule allows filmmakers who have left their home country to be represented by a country where they are seeking asylum. Films can now qualify through a festival award as well as a national submission.
Kramer says 25% of Academy members are from outside the United States. The organization has visited Rio, Marrakesh and Morelia, and its staff have also attended the Busan festival as part of its international outreach.
The 2029 Oscars will be the first ceremony under the Academy’s agreement with YouTube. Kramer says the platform could reach 2.5 billion people worldwide, with the show available in more than 30 languages. The Academy is still considering whether to change the ceremony’s start time.
The Academy Museum opened in 2021 and hosts about 600 repertory screenings a year, alongside exhibitions across four floors. Museum director Amy Homma says the museum will continue to feature Asian film histories and support film preservation.
