2021 Academy Awards: Drive-in screenings will now count towards Oscars eligibility
Amid the pandemic, movies theaters across the US are still closed
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is making adjustments to its rules once again amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Academy has confirmed that drive-in movie screenings will now count towards a film's Oscar eligibility since the majority of U.S. theaters still remain closed as the virus continues to spread.
But only outdoor theaters in six cities qualify as a commercial venue: Los Angeles County; City of New York (five boroughs); the Bay Area (counties of San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, San Mateo and Contra Costa); Chicago (Cook County, Illinois); Miami (Miami-Dade County, Florida0; and Atlanta (Fulton County, Georgia). And the film must play for seven days.
A film's eligibility still remains Jan. 1, 2020 through Feb. 28, 2021.
Back in April, the Academy announced that movies that had “previously planned theatrical releases” could qualify for the Oscars without its standard LA movie theater run but the film “must be made available on the secure Academy Screening Room member-only streaming site within 60 days of the film’s streaming or VOD release.”
CORONAVIRUS-INDUCED FILM DELAYS AND MOVIE THEATER CLOSINGS THREATEN HOLLYWOOD
Below is the Academy's official ruling provided on its website:
The Academy's change comes as Regal Cinemas announced this week that it plans on temporarily closing all its 536 locations in the U.S. since indoor crowds of people are still banned.
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The Oscars ceremony for the 2020-21 season is slated for April 25, 2021.
