The road to the Oscars just got a little more interesting and for Indian cinema, a lot more hopeful. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has rolled out a fresh set of rules for its upcoming
editions, quietly reshaping how films and performances will be recognised on the global stage.
The changes, approved ahead of the 99th Academy Awards scheduled for March 14, 2027, touch multiple categories, from acting and writing to international films, and reflect the Academy’s attempt to keep up with evolving filmmaking practices.
One of the biggest updates comes in the acting categories. Actors can now earn more than one nomination in the same category — lead or supporting — if multiple performances rank among the top five in voting. Earlier, even if an actor had more than one top-ranking performance, only the highest-voted role would make the cut. With the new rule, someone like Leonardo DiCaprio could potentially be nominated twice in Best Actor in the same year.
The Academy has also tightened eligibility in acting. Only performances by human actors, credited officially and done with consent, will qualify. This follows conversations around the use of digital likenesses, including that of Val Kilmer in the upcoming film As Deep as the Grave. More broadly, the Academy has made it clear that it may seek details about the use of generative AI in films, especially to understand the level of human contribution. In the writing categories, the stance is firmer — screenplays must be entirely human-authored to be eligible.
For India, the most notable development lies in the Best International Feature category. Traditionally, each country could submit only one film through an official selection committee. That system still exists, but there’s now an additional route. Films that win top honours at major global festivals — including Cannes (Palme d’Or), Berlin (Golden Bear), Venice (Golden Lion), Sundance (World Cinema Grand Jury Prize), Toronto (Platform Award) and Busan (Best Film Award) — can also qualify independently.
This effectively opens the door for more than one film from the same country to enter the race. In practical terms, India could now see multiple films competing in the category in a single year, provided they meet the criteria.
Another key tweak: the award will now be formally attributed to the film’s director, rather than the country. For instance, while Sentimental Value won the category earlier this year for Norway, the recognition will now directly highlight filmmakers like Joachim Trier going forward, with their names featured on the Oscar statuette and official records.
Other categories have also seen adjustments. The casting award will now allow up to three recipients instead of two. In cinematography, a fixed shortlist of 20 films will be introduced during preliminary voting. Makeup and hairstyling voters must attend at least one of the final roundtables to participate in early voting, while visual effects voters are required to watch specific “Before and After” reels before casting their final votes.
There’s also a small but notable update in the original song category. If a song is submitted as the first piece of new music during end credits, the clip must include the final 15 seconds of the film before the credits begin.
For the Governors Awards, the Academy has introduced a diversity requirement across disciplines, ensuring at least three different fields are represented among honourees each year.
All these changes have been finalised by the Academy’s Awards Committee in collaboration with various branch and executive committees, and approved by its Board of Governors. Following the 2027 ceremony, the 100th Academy Awards are slated for March 5, 2028.
