The Academy which organizes the film ceremony of the Oscars announced Thursday that it would be held a month later than planned for the second year in a row because of the Covid-19.

The eligibility criteria will remain relaxed for the 94th edition which will finally take place on March 27, 2022.

For the second year in a row, the 2022 Oscars ceremony will be held a month later than expected due to the health context, announced Thursday the Academy which organizes them.

The rule which allows films released directly on video-on-demand platforms to compete without even going to a movie theater will also be maintained.

The 94th edition of the Oscars will be held on March 27, 2022, in its traditional cinema, Hollywood's Dolby Theater.

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Eligibility criteria still relaxed

But the impact of Covid-19 - which turned Hollywood awards season upside down last year - continues to be felt.

Traditionally, the organizers of the Oscars have required a film to hit theaters in Los Angeles for at least seven days in order to be eligible for prestigious awards.

But faced with the closure of cinemas and the interruption of many filming, these criteria had been relaxed, a decision seen by many as a boost to streaming platforms, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime.

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"This year is still affected by the pandemic, the eligibility criteria for the 94th Academy Awards will be the same as those for the 93rd ceremony," the Academy said in a statement.

Films wishing to compete in this ceremony must be released before December 31.

The Academy's decision to postpone its ceremony could cause a domino effect, prompting other organizers to follow suit.

The NBC channel announced two weeks ago that it would not broadcast the Golden Globes next year, criticized by Hollywood for their lack of diversity.