Significant Changes Announced for the 99th Academy Awards in 2027

New Rules for the 99th Oscars

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled new regulations for the upcoming 99th Academy Awards set for 2027, introducing several major changes that have surprised many. On Friday, the Academy announced significant alterations to its rules, allowing actors to receive multiple nominations in the same category. Additionally, under the new guidelines, a single country can now submit two films for the Best International Feature Film category, a decision that has delighted Indian filmmakers.

Multiple Nominations in Acting Categories

With the recent changes, actors can now be nominated in both lead and supporting categories. However, there are specific conditions to meet. To qualify for these nominations, performances must receive at least five votes. Previously, unlike other categories, if an actor received two or three votes among the top five, only the actor with the highest votes would be nominated. Now, if an actor delivers two outstanding performances in a single year, they can be nominated for both films in the Best Actor category, and the same applies to supporting roles.

Changes to the One Film Per Country Rule

The Academy has also revised the long-standing rule that permitted only one film from each country or region, selected by a committee associated with that country's Academy, to compete in the Best International Feature Film category. Now, two films from the same country can be nominated for this prestigious award. If a film has won a top prize at a major international film festival, it may qualify for nomination in this category.

Oscar Awarded to Directors, Not Countries

Furthermore, the Oscar for Best International Feature Film will now be awarded to the director rather than the country or region. For instance, in this year's Oscars, the award for Best International Feature Film went to 'Sentimental Value,' but technically, Norway was the winner, not the filmmaker Joachim Trier. Moving forward, if a film wins an Oscar, the director's name will also be recorded on the Oscar plaque and in the record books.

Rationale Behind the Changes

The Academy has implemented these crucial changes to enhance fairness and transparency in the Oscar voting process. The aim is to reduce manipulation during the nomination campaign and ensure that deserving performances are not overlooked. Under the previous rules, an actor was limited to a single nomination in one category. If an actor had two standout performances, the one with fewer votes would be eliminated from contention.