The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released a list of films that can be nominated for an Oscar in the Best Picture category.

The list included 366 paintings, the release of which took place before February 28.

Among the contenders is the historical drama "Dear Comrades!" By Andrei Konchalovsky, based on the events of 1962.

Then, simultaneously with the rise in food prices in the USSR, wages were cut at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant.

The workers went to a demonstration.

The government dispersed it with the police and the army, as a result of which several dozen people were wounded and killed.

The plot of the film is built around the heroine of Yulia Vysotskaya - a communist and an employee of the party committee Lyudmila.

She does not support the demonstrators, but reconsiders her attitude to what is happening after her daughter disappears during the strike.

The film was also shortlisted for the Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film nomination.

Previously, the film was awarded a special prize of the jury of the Venice Film Festival and the Golden Eagle Prize for the best work of a director.

In addition to Andrei Konchalovsky's tape, such films as "Ammonite" by Francis Lee, "One More Each" by Thomas Winterberg, "Bill and Ted" by Dean Parisot, "Birds of Prey: The Fantastic Story of Harley Quinn" by Katie Yang, "The Amazing Journey of Dr. Dolittle "Stephen Gaygan," Gentlemen "by Guy Ritchie," The Invisible Man "by Lee Whannell," The Devil in Detail "by John Lee Hancock," Munk "by David Fincher," Mulan "by Nicky Caro," Land of the Nomads "by Chloe Zhao and others.

The Oscar nominees will be announced on March 15th.

The presentation ceremony will take place on April 25.

It is expected that, despite the coronavirus pandemic, it will be held in a traditional format.

Requirements for applicants for "Oscar"

The Best Film nomination traditionally selects full-length feature films of the past year, usually shot in English.

However, at different times among the applicants were films shot in other languages.

Among them - "The Great Illusion" by Jean Renoir, "Whispers and Screams" by Ingmar Bergman, "Life is Beautiful" by Roberto Benigni, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" by Ang Lee, "Roma" by Alfonso Cuaron and "Parasites" by Pong Chun Ho.

The latter received an Oscar in 2020 both in the main nomination and as the best film in a foreign language.  

  • Reuters

  • © Carlo Allegri

In the fall of 2020, the American Film Academy announced the introduction of new requirements for films nominated for an Oscar in the main nomination.

The rules will be phased in by 2024.

With their help, the academy expects to attract more filmmakers from “underrepresented groups” to the industry: ethnic minorities and LGBT people, women, and people with disabilities.

The requirements are grouped into four standards.

To be eligible for an award, a project must meet at least two.

According to the first, one of the central roles should be played by a representative of an ethnic minority.

Alternatively, the project team can approve artists from two “underrepresented groups” for 30% supporting roles.

Also, a film is considered to be in conformity with the standard if its storyline is centered around minorities.

The second standard assigns to underrepresented groups at least two key positions in film production.

Moreover, one of them must be occupied by a representative of a racial minority.

These positions include director, producer, cameraman, screenwriter, editor and others.

Also, to comply with the standard, the authors of the project can give minorities six important positions in the team.

This definition includes the position of an illuminator, assistant director and others.

The third standard involves the organization by film studios and distributors of paid internships or traineeships in the field of film production with the possibility of further employment for people from "underrepresented groups."

The fourth standard requires companies to provide minority members with multiple leadership positions in the advertising and distribution departments of film studios and distributors.

These requirements are relevant only for films that are nominated for an Oscar in the Best Film nomination.

The rules for candidates for the award in other categories remain the same for now.