Welcome to Oscar Week. In anticipation of the big night on Sunday, Women and Hollywood is proud to share its annual Oscar video.
As we all know, it’s been another shitty year (when hasn’t it been a shitty year?) for both women and people of color in the entertainment industry when it comes to awards recognition.
We’ve been told that the Academy is dedicated to trying to fix the unequal playing field — that the Oscars will evolve in the near future — and we look forward to seeing those changes when they come. But this is not just about the Academy; this is about our culture, and we are tired of the awards seasons and “best of” lists being defined by a small, mostly homogeneous group of people. We want and deserve better.
What I’ve learned over the last couple of years is that institutions will inevitably disappoint and that the prevailing narrative is created by the powerful. But what I’ve also learned is that, in this brave new world, those who don’t fit into the narrative have the tools to force it to change. That’s why this is an exciting time and why I am hopeful, even though so much seemingly remains stagnant.
Here’s to a new, more inclusive future.