In a plot twist straight out of a Hollywood satire, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has finally announced that voters must watch all nominated films in a given category before casting their votes for the Oscars.
Let that sink in.
For nearly a century, Oscar winners have been crowned by people who may or may not have even watched the films they were voting for. You’d think watching movies would be, I don’t know, step one in the process of choosing the best movie. But apparently, the most prestigious awards ceremony in cinema didn’t think that was a necessary detail until just now.
It’s like giving someone Employee of the Year without knowing what department they work in. Or writing a Yelp review for a restaurant you never visited. You’d laugh, until you realize that’s exactly how some Oscar winners got their gold.
So the new rule is simple: Watch before you vote. And the obvious question is… why on Earth was this not already a rule?
The Oscars’ Trust-Based Voting System (Spoiler: It Didn’t Work)
Let’s take a little trip back to understand how we got here. The Academy Awards started in 1929, back when silent films were the norm and nobody could’ve imagined digital screeners or streaming services. In that era, expecting every voter to see every film was impractical; films weren’t widely distributed, and logistical limitations were very real.
But here’s the kicker: as technology advanced and access improved, the rules didn’t.
Instead of evolving, the Academy relied on what we’ll politely call “the honor system.” Voters were trusted to be diligent, fair, and thorough. And some were. But plenty weren’t.
Over the years, anonymous Oscar ballots and behind-the-scenes confessions revealed the truth: many voters skipped entire categories, chose films based on familiarity, popularity, or personal relationships, and even openly admitted they hadn’t seen the nominees. So, how did they decide whom to vote for? What was their thought process behind it?, “I didn’t watch the animated films. I just voted for Pixar,” or “I didn’t see any of the documentaries this year, but that one had a great poster.”
Not exactly the gold standard of discernment.
The Underdog Categories Suffered the Most
If you’ve ever wondered why obscure international gems, deeply moving documentaries, or short films often get snubbed, this is part of the answer: voters weren’t watching them.
In categories like Best International Feature Film, Best Documentary Short, and Best Animated Feature, it was common knowledge that most voters didn’t bother to watch all the nominees, or even one. Some didn’t “like subtitles.” Others thought animation was “for kids.” Short films? “Too obscure.”
This skewed the playing field dramatically. Instead of judging based on storytelling, craft, or innovation, many winners were decided by name recognition, marketing budgets, or, bluntly, what voters had time for on a Sunday afternoon.
Filmmakers poured their blood, sweat, and existential crises into their art, only for their fates to be decided by someone who didn’t even hit “Play.”
Why the Change Now?
This shift didn’t come out of nowhere. The Academy has been under increasing pressure to evolve, especially in the past decade. Between the #OscarsSoWhite movement, backlash against the ceremony’s elitism, and a general push toward transparency and inclusion, the institution had to address the glaring issues in its voting process.
Let’s not forget the rise of social media and film Twitter, where no injustice goes unnoticed. The public started calling out bizarre voting patterns, suspicious snubs, and cringeworthy comments from voters.
Also, the logistics are no longer a problem. We’re living in the age of screener links, secure streaming platforms, and password-protected digital access. If a voter can binge an entire season of Succession, they can sit through five nominated documentaries. The excuse of “inconvenience” doesn’t hold up anymore.
So the Academy did what it should have done years ago: made it a requirement.
Voters will now be monitored through the Academy’s streaming service to confirm they’ve actually viewed the films. In categories where visibility has long been a challenge, such as Shorts, Animation, and International Features, this could level the playing field in a big way.
What Changes Now?
In theory? A lot.
This rule brings a dose of fairness to the awards process. It means every film, big or small, subtitled or silent, indie or studio-backed, has a chance to be judged on its actual merits, not on buzz, name recognition, or assumed quality.
It might also lead to a richer, more diverse set of winners. Think fewer default wins for major studios and more surprise upsets from filmmakers you’ve never heard of, but who deserve to be on that stage.
And for voters? It means treating their role with the responsibility it deserves. If you have the power to influence an artist’s career and legacy, the least you can do is watch the damn movie.
Will It Actually Work?
That’s the big question. Requiring people to watch something and ensuring they do are two different beasts. The Academy has pledged to use tech to verify views, but there are loopholes. A voter could hit play and walk away. Or watch on mute while doomscrolling.
Still, it’s a step in the right direction.
Symbolically, it’s a message: the Oscars are trying to fix their mess. They’re acknowledging that credibility doesn’t come from tradition alone; it comes from accountability. And if the Academy wants to stay relevant in an industry that’s changing faster than a TikTok trend, it has to evolve, not just in diversity and genre but in basic integrity.
The Curtain Call
Let’s be honest: it’s kind of wild that this rule wasn’t in place from the beginning. But now that it’s here, it could mark a turning point for the Oscars, not just as a glitzy event, but as a legitimate celebration of cinematic excellence.
Imagine a future where an obscure Icelandic documentary wins over a major blockbuster because the voters actually watched both. Imagine animators getting recognition without being dismissed as “kids’ stuff.” Imagine short films being judged by something other than their runtime.
That’s the Oscars we’ve all been waiting for. And it starts with the simplest of things: pressing play.
So here’s to a new era of the Academy Awards, where voters do their homework, filmmakers get a fair shot, and winning an Oscar finally means what it should have meant all along: the best film actually won.