In 2015, activist April Reign created the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite inspiring the 87th academy awarded when only two people of colour were nominated in major categories, to push back against the awards for the lack of diversity, particularly the lack of recognition given to people of colour. #OscarsSoWhite is still powerful hashtag activism and an influential social movement as the public attention on the film industry’s treatment of marginalized groups.
Last five years 2016 and 2020 were particularly active years for the hashtag due to a popular perception that the nominations of white men. In 2016, all 20 Oscar acting nominations went to white performers for the first of two consecutive years, elevating the stature of #OscarsSoWhite. As #OscarsSoWhite social movement spreads out, Black filmmakers like Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee even boycotted the 88th Academy Awards. But, 2017 felt different since "Moonlight" became the first film with an all-black cast and the first LGBT-theme to win Oscar for Best picture. It felt like it was the right vote as it seems perspectives were broadening. At the 2018 Oscars, four people of colour were nominated in the acting categories and “Get Out” won for original screenplay. In 2019, a 17% increase in the number of principal films with people of colour in a lead role since #OscarsSoWhite began. The Oscars in 2019, record-breaking 13 winners of colour including 7 African American winners took awards alone including "Greenbook". This year, “Parasite” received six Academy Award nominations and won the Best Picture. But the 2020 nominations were shameful as just one actor of colour included and eight of the nine best picture nominees feature overwhelmingly white casts.
We know even double the number of people of colour and women within the Academy is not the solution to be sufficient. Literally, all the nominees may one day be of colour, but that doesn't mean the era of #OscarsSoWhite is over. Like the hashtags that changed the Oscars, we think we should stay on goal and keep moving, creating an environment that supports diversity within the industry, but when it comes to recognizing truly worthiness arts, we have to be colour- and gender-blind. #OscarsSoWhite started out as a single tweet about the overwhelming white people of Oscar nominations, but now it has become a social justice campaign that raises awareness of the need for great diversity and inclusion.
This is interesting that the Oscars and therefore subsequently the whole film industry is quite white washed.
ReplyDeleteI always watch the Oscars every year as I love film but the whole premise of the Oscars is totally undermined by its whitewashing and racist agenda. Its meant to commemorate the artistic cinematic talent of the year and celebrate the creativity and experimentalism of filmmaking but yet for so long has neglected to acknowledge non-white professionals. Its good to see change coming but there defiantly still is an agenda that focuses on someones skin colour rather than their talent.
ReplyDelete#OscarsSoWhite and films like Black Panther give me hope that there are steps being made (however small) to make the industry is change for the better.
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