The Academy’s Board of Governors has approved awards rules, inclusion standards, and campaign promotional regulations for the 99th Academy Awards.
For Academy Awards consideration, a feature film must have a qualifying theatrical release between January 1st, 2026, and December 31st, 2026.
Substantive awards rules changes include:
- In the Acting category, actors may be nominated for multiple performances in the same category if those performances place in the top five votes, which aligns with achievements in other award categories.
- Additionally, in the Acting category, only roles credited in the film’s legal billing and demonstrably performed by humans with their consent will be considered eligible.
- In the Casting category, the number of statuettes awarded will increase from a maximum of two to a maximum of three statuettes.
- In the Cinematography category, the preliminary voting round will produce a shortlist of 20 films rather than 10-20.
- In the International Feature Film category, there are now two ways to submit a film for consideration. In addition to a film being submitted as an official selection by a country or region via the Academy-approved Selection Committees, a non-English language film can now be submitted for consideration by winning a qualifying award at an international film festival as specified in the International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List. Qualifying festivals for the 99th Oscars are the Berlin International Film Festival (Golden Bear for Best Film), Busan International Film Festival (Busan Award – Best Film Award), Cannes Film Festival (Palme d’Or), Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Grand Jury Prize), Toronto International Film Festival (Platform Award), and Venice International Film Festival (Golden Lion).
- Additionally, in the International Feature Film category, the film will be credited as the nominee rather than the country or region, and the award will be accepted by the director on behalf of the film’s creative team. The director’s name will be listed on the statuette plaque after the film title and, if applicable, the country or region.
- In the Makeup and Hairstyling category, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch members must attend at least one of the two final branch meetings (roundtables) to be eligible to vote in the preliminary round.
- In the Original Song category, the rules clarify a song’s eligibility based on its placement in the end credits. For songs submitted as the first new music cue at the end of the film, the video clip must include the last 15 seconds of the film before the credits begin.
- In the Visual Effects category, all Academy members must view the three-minute Before and After reels from the Visual Effects Bake-Off to be eligible to vote in the final round.
- In the Writing categories, the rules codify that screenplays must be human-authored to be eligible.
- For Governors’ Awards recipients, a minimum of three disciplines must be represented in a given Awards year.
- Under Eligibility (Rule Two) regarding Generative Artificial Intelligence, the Academy reserves the right to request more information about the nature of the use and human authorship.
Awards submission deadlines and additional key dates are as follows:
Thursday, August 13th, 2026: First submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, and Live Action Short Film categories
Thursday, September 17th, 2026: First submission deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, and Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry (RAISE) form
Wednesday, September 30th, 2026: Submission deadline for International Feature Film
Thursday, October 8th, 2026: Final submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Film, and Live Action Short Film categories
Wednesday, October 14th, 2026: Submission deadline for Music (Original Song)
Thursday, October 15th, 2026: Final submission deadline for Documentary Feature Film
Wednesday, November 4th, 2026: Submission deadline for Music (Original Score)
Thursday, November 12th, 2026: Final submission deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, and Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry (RAISE) form
January 8 – 10, 2027: Casting, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound and Visual Effects voting events (bake-offs)
The Academy also updated and clarified formatting and language in the campaign promotional regulations for the 99th Oscars. The campaign promotional regulations specify how motion picture companies and individuals directly associated with Oscars-eligible motion pictures may promote such motion pictures, achievements, and performances to Academy members and how Academy members may promote Oscars-eligible motion pictures, achievements, and performances.
Substantive changes to the campaign promotional regulations include:
- Screenings with Q&A sessions or panel discussions before nominations may now have up to two moderators instead of one moderator.
- All eblasts and FYC calendar entries sent to Academy members via an Academy-approved mailing house from a motion picture company, individual associated with an eligible motion picture, or Qualifying Film Festival must include an email address or phone number contact for inquiries regarding how members may request accessibility and disability needs or if the theater hosting the screening has proper accommodations.
Awards Rules are formulated by the Awards Committee based on recommendations by Branch Executive Committees, the International Feature Film Executive Committee, and the Scientific and Technical Awards Executive Committee, and are subject to final approval by the Board of Governors.
All rules, regulations, and dates for the 99th Academy Awards are subject to change.
For the complete 99th Academy Awards rules, inclusion standards, and campaign promotional regulations, visit oscars.org/rules.
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