The next Academy Award was postponed for two months due to the emerging Corona virus, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which awards these prestigious awards rescheduled it on April 25.
The 93rd edition of the Oscars was scheduled for February 28th, but the health crisis caused the cinemas to close and disrupt the schedule for Hollywood productions.
In parallel, the academy extended the day before yesterday, the release period of films eligible to compete for the Academy Awards, from December 31 to February 28 next.
Consequently, the Academy hopes to "give filmmakers the flexibility to finish and release their films," officials explained during a statement.
The Academy had recently relaxed its rules to allow, exceptionally, for the work that was released on the live streaming platforms in the competition. Most US cinemas are still closed. Filming in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the world has also been halted for fear of the Covid-19 epidemic.
A new date set by the academy may allow some productions to be ready in time to enter the competition next year. It also enhances the hope that the Oscars will be held in the presence of a constellation of stars instead of turning into a "virtual" party.
The decision is also a response to the concerns of many film professionals who believe that the number of films released in 2020 is too small to allow strong competition.
Previously, he had postponed the Academy Awards, as it had in 1938 after the floods in Los Angeles, in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King, and in 1981 after the attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, but he had not postponed more than a week.
The number of films released in 2020 is very few.