Staff Reports
Once again, the Oscars are pursuing an agenda of "social justice" and "diversity," prioritizing it over the quality of cinema. They have recently introduced new qualifying rules for the "Best Picture" category that are incredibly absurd. These rules impose strict diversity standards, which would have excluded many of the greatest films in history.
The New Oscars Qualifying Rules for 'Best Picture' Have to Be Seen to Be Believed https://t.co/bLITPpEsKD
— RedState (@RedState) June 18, 2023
The Oscars' website outlines the new standards, demanding diversity both on screen and behind the scenes. To be considered for Best Picture, a movie must meet at least two of the four laid-out standards. For instance, one standard requires at least one lead or significant supporting actor to be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Other standards focus on diversity in the ensemble cast, main storyline/subject matter, and creative leadership.
However, is there truly a need for more representation of women and LGBT individuals in Hollywood? It seems that these groups are already proportionately or even overrepresented in movies and TV shows. Disney, in particular, has been incorporating "strong female characters" into films, even when it doesn't naturally fit the storyline. Additionally, Hollywood has been including LGBT characters at higher rates than in the general population for years.
Excluding objectively great works of art simply because they don't meet ridiculous woke diversity standards goes against the very essence of filmmaking. The goal should be to create something remarkable that resonates with audiences, rather than fulfilling racial and ethnic quotas. We must not overlook the fact that many exceptional movies, like "All's Quiet on the Western Front" and "Top Gun: Maverick," will be excluded under these new Oscar standards.
It is evident that the Oscars' new diversity standards are overtly discriminatory measures, designed to compel studios to disregard certain stories. The fact that these stories often align with audience preferences has become irrelevant to the proponents of wokeness. The Oscars should reconsider their criteria and refocus on celebrating cinematic excellence, rather than promoting a divisive social agenda.
