Streaming-only films will be eligible for 2021 Oscar for first time in history

For the first time in history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will enable films that debuted on streaming services to be eligible for an Oscar for 2021.

“The Academy firmly believes there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theater,” Academy President David Rubin and chief executive Dawn Hudson said in a joint statement.  “Our commitment to that is unchanged and unwavering.”

“Nonetheless, the historically tragic Covid-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules,” they said.

The historic — but temporary — change, announced by the Academy on Tuesday, recognises that filmmakers have been unable to screen movies in theatres, since most locations have been closed since mid-March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Previously, movies had to have been screened in a theatre in Los Angeles County for seven consecutive days so as to qualify for the Oscars. That had enabled – for instance – Netflix to enter films such as Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.”

This will be the last year the Academy will accept DVDs, CDs, or print materials including invitations for its judging process, in order to enforce sustainability practices, it added in a statement.

The upcoming Oscars will take place on February 28, 2021 on ABC.