Too white and masculine, the Academy of Oscars diversifies by forced march

For the past decade, criticism has come back every year and each time a little louder. Too white, too masculine in its composition as in its prize list, the Academy of Oscars contributes to perpetuate patriarchal domination in the cinema industry. But this year, as demonstrations against racism multiply in the United States with the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the voice of women is free in the community, the Academy understood that it was urgent to change its image.   

Among the 819 new members invited to join its ranks this year, 45% are women and 36% from ethnic minorities, "underrepresented in the organization". Among the new arrivals are 25 French people, including the filmmakers Ladj Ly ("Les Misérables") and actress Adèle Haenel, the embodiment of the MeToo movement in France, after accusing director Christophe Ruggia of "repeated touching". She also distinguished herself by leaving the Cesar ceremony after the Best Film was awarded to Roman Polanski, accused of rape and sexual assault. 

A woman and a Black, therefore, both strangers, and symbols of the spirit of diversity and parity that the Academy is now trying to embody.

Slow progress

This momentum is not new. In 2016, the Academy - hitherto rather discreet in its composition - had faced criticism and revealed that its 6,000 members at the time (nearly 10,000 today) were 93% white and 76% of men. In the process, she promised to double the number of women and members from ethnic minorities by 2020.

Since then, each year, it co-ops hundreds of new younger members, by selecting representatives of minorities, far beyond the borders of American cinema and Hollywood. Formerly limited to 300 elected officials per year, these new promotions now reach more than 800 recruits, of 68 different nationalities this year.

In 2020, "the Academy has exceeded the two objectives" of 2016, she rejoices in a press release. And if the new elected officials agree to join its ranks, which is generally the case, the proportion of women in the Academy will increase to 33% (compared to 24% in 2015) and that of minorities to 19% (compared to 7% in 2015).  

Proof of its commitment, the Academy has also diversified its steering committee this year.The engaged African-American director Ava DuVernay, whose film "Selma" had however been snubbed in 2015 by the jury, was named in June among the body of directors, while the star of "Sister Act" Whoopi Goldberg was renewed to represent the actors. With 26 women and 12 people of color out of 54 governors (compared to 25 and 11 previously), the committee has never been so diverse.

Ava DuVernay, activist whose filmography continues to denounce the latent racism of American society and institutions towards the black community, welcomed this evolution of mentalities within the Academy of the Oscars.

Thank you to the members of the Directors Branch of @TheAcademy.

Life is a funny, fascinating thing. You never know what's around the corner. pic.twitter.com/y1CWtguSO2

The members, reflection of a prize list?

Knowing that only the members designate the nominees for the prizes, does the evolution of the Academy guarantee the opening of the prize list? Some already believe that the more open recruitment in recent years has led to the coronation in 2020 of "Parasite", a South Korean film and first feature film in a foreign language to win the prize for "best film".

However, despite the efforts, the 2020 vintage has not escaped its old demons, as illustrated by the resurgence of the hashtag #OscarSoWhite (Oscars so white), emerged in 2015 when the academy had not named any actor from diversity. As the funny duo Chris Rock and Steve Martin pointed out at the awards ceremony last February, only one African-American personality was among the nominees this year. "In 1929, there was no African-American nominee. In 2020, there is one [Cynthia Erivo for her role in Harriet, editor's note] .What an incredible progression, "ironically Steve Martin.

Matthew A. Cherry, who won the Oscar for best animated short film for his film "Hair Love", was ironic that all the blacks named had to take a picture together. Or five people.

You know we all had to take a pic together @TheAcademy pic.twitter.com/S8jLbRj6J5

As for the under-representation of women among the most prestigious awards, it has been a constant since 1929 and the 92nd edition has not denied it. The lack of female directors among the "oscarisables" was denounced by the hashtag #OscarsSoMale (Oscars if male) on social networks. On the red carpet, Natalie Portman displayed on an embroidered cape the names of the directors ignored by the Oscars. 

Natalie Portman embroidered her Dior cape with all of the female directors who weren't nominated for #Oscars. Check out her explanation here. pic.twitter.com/kyyo2wVMZf

"The evolution of the Oscars is not a commitment but an obligation!"

In the current social context, the visibility given to these inequalities by the stars and by social networks puts the Academy of Oscars at the foot of the wall. For film critic Alex Masson, less than a commitment, this development is "an obligation". "If the Academy could do without it, it would. It is a patriarchal system and as in any system, the dominant are afraid of losing power," he explains to France 24. "But between ' Black Lives Matter ', the resurgence of the' woke culture '[awareness of the injustices weighing on minorities, Editor's note], the greater commitment of women, the academy has no choice but to change its image ".

According to him, the reasons are both political and economic. "Hollywood especially dreads the boycott. And if 'Black Lives Matter' calls for boycotting theaters because of the absence of minorities in the films, it will do him a lot of harm, in terms of image first and in financial terms However, it should not be forgotten that the driving force of Hollywood is money! "

Can we hope that the 2021 vintage is in tune? "It all depends on what will work this year," replied Alex Masson. "But the authorization in the selection of platform films will allow to highlight films like the last Spike Lee and the biopic of Aretha Frankin (Netflix productions)", notes Alex Masson who believes that these productions could well make revenue .  

Among the American blockbusters that have worked this year, the critic recalls that there was "Black Panther", directed by Ryan Coogler, a film which has become a phenomenon in the United States. And "Wonder Woman", by Patty Jenkins, "the biggest blockbuster made by a woman staging a heroine and seen by a majority of kids…". "The cinema is a cultural and industrial good. So if politics can bring in money, it is muddy!", Concludes Alex Masson.

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