Los Angeles (AFP)
Accused by Hollywood of favoritism and even corruption, the group that organizes the very prestigious film awards of the Golden Globes has prohibited its members from accepting any future gifts, travel or other benefits, AFP learned on Friday.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), organizer and jury of the second most popular cinema ceremony in the United States after the Oscars, goes on the strictest diet to try to calm a controversy that has fueled since months.
The group of some 80 film journalists have been accused of exploiting the prestige that comes with a Globe nomination or victory to gain juicy privileges and unparalleled access to Hollywood stars.
According to new guidelines adopted on Thursday, members of this group are no longer allowed "to accept promotional material or other gifts from studios, publicists, actors, directors or others associated with movies and television programs. "
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association "remains deeply dedicated to the changes it outlined in its reform plan" detailed in May, the group said in a statement to AFP.
Stars like Scarlett Johansson or Tom Cruise had judged these reforms too slow and vague while two members of the HFPA had resigned from this group which they qualified as "toxic".
Powerful studios like Netflix and Amazon Studios have both said they are no longer interested in working with the HFPA until "significant" changes are made while Warner Bros. Studios complained that the group's reform agenda. 'was going "not far enough".
In this context, the awards ceremony was dropped by its broadcaster, NBC.
"We will continue to inform the industry of our progress as we vote on new statutes that will create an inclusive, diverse and transparent structure, of which our members, stakeholders and partners will be proud," assured the group.
© 2021 AFP