Academy Says Oscars Will “Honor Los Angeles” Amid Wildfire Crisis
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sent a letter to its full membership about its upcoming Oscars ceremony on March 2 and how it will honor Los Angeles amid its wildfire crisis.
“We will honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in the letter. “We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry.”
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Additionally, the Academy has announced that the ceremony will “move away” from live performances of Oscar-nominated songs and will instead focus on the songwriters. Previously, each of the nominated songs was performed onstage during the telecast while the songwriters were acknowledged. The focus had been more on the performers, who oftentimes were not the credited songwriters, even though the songwriters are the ones listed as nominees in the best original song category.
“This year the best original song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters,” reads the letter. “We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.”
The letter, sent ahead of Thursday’s Oscar nominations announcement (see the full list of nominees), also promised “powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its bold and inspiring future.” Additionally, the Academy stated that its “Fab 5” moments, where “individual film artists recognize nominees,” will return.
See below for the full letter.
Dear Academy members,
Our deepest thanks to all of you for your compassion and support over the last few weeks. Our thoughts remain with those who were impacted by the recent Los Angeles-area wildfires. If you would like to join the Academy in supporting the ongoing relief efforts, please click here for a list of aid resources.
After continued consultation with ABC, our board, and other key stakeholders in the Los Angeles and film communities, planning continues for the 97th Oscars ceremony on Sunday, March 2. This year’s Oscars will celebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.
As a reminder, our 97th Oscars Nominations will be announced tomorrow, January 23, at 5:30am PT via global live stream on Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the Academy’s digital platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook), ABC’s Good Morning America, and ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. American Sign Language (ASL) services will be available on YouTube.
As a precursor to tomorrow’s announcement, we wanted to share a little bit about this year’s show. Hosted by the incredible Conan O’Brien, our 97th Oscars will be a celebration of connection and collaboration – honoring the unifying spirit and creative synergy of moviemaking. We will highlight the transformative power of the teamwork that brings cinematic visions to life.
As part of this, we are thrilled to bring back our “Fab 5” moments, where individual film artists recognize nominees. Also, this year the Best Original Song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters. We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.
And we will honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century. We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry.
There is so much more in store, including powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its bold and inspiring future. We hope you will tune in tomorrow morning to watch the Nominations Announcement, and we greatly appreciate your ongoing commitment to the Academy and our film community. We are stronger together.
Bill Kramer and Janet Yang
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