A shorter ceremony… but not by much
When it comes to popularity, the other big headache for the Academy is the absence of We Don’t Talk About Bruno in the shortlist for Best Song. the theme of Charm fell in love with the public and made history by reaching the first position of the Billboard Hot 100, thus becoming the second song from a Disney animated film to do so after A Whole New World of Aladdin (1992). Many were surprised when she was not nominated, but the truth is that the responsibility rested with the study that she opted for. two caterpillars to represent your production. The solution was not so complicated: add an additional number that would also mark the first live presentation of the theme.
This would have been a success if it hadn’t been for the fact that only a few weeks earlier the organizers announced that eight categories would not be delivered live, but rather before the broadcasts began in order to make a shorter and more dynamic ceremony. This was considered by the president of the Academy, David Rubin, after assuring that the exclusion would give more time to “comedy, musical numbers, movie clips and tributes”.
The shortlists sacrificed are Editing, Sound, Original Music, Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyle, Animated Short Film, Live-Action Short Film and Documentary Short Film. A ruling that generated discontent among the public, but also among the Hollywood elites who have not hesitated to demonstrate.
Such was the case of Guillermo del Toro who recalled that “we do together [las películas] and the people who made them with us did it by risking everything in a pandemic […]. This is not the year to not hear your names live at the Oscars. This is the year to sing them and sing them loud”. Or Steven Spielberg who recalled that “without John Williams, Jaws would wear false teeth. With West Side Storywhen Tony is singing “Tonight” with Maria, without [el diseñador de producción] Adam Stockhausen, he would be […] in an empty soundstage. Without editing, all my films would still be in the newspapers. We all come together to make magic.” Finally, Jessica Chastain, who announced she will be skipping the red carpet to support her hair and makeup team at a half-full theater. It is thought that the decision of the latter could generate a wave of similar cases.
I don’t understand why movie people care so much if other people care about the awards we give each other
Rachel Zegler, star of West Side Storyshe will not be able to join the protest as she was not even invited. This, it must be said, was not the decision of the Academy but of Walt Disney, since the organization gives tickets to the studios so that they can distribute them as they see fit. This, however, is a fact unknown to a large part of the public that has pointed to the event as racist and discriminatory for excluding an actress of Latin origin.
Just a few days ago Seth Rogen, who by the way has never been considered by the Academy, was questioned about the current distance between the Oscar and the public. “I don’t understand why movie people care so much if other people care about the awards we give each other,” he said. “Maybe people just don’t care. I don’t care who wins the car awards. No other industry expects everyone to care about the awards they give each other.” Controversial words as they are the most popular recognition of an industry that unleashes so many passions such as cinema, but they are not without reason as it is an event that seems to become more and more select. The only certainty is that if the links are not restored soon, they could reach a point of no return that ends forever with the Oscar as we have known it until now.