2023 Oscars: Academy returns to full calendar year eligibility, nixes streaming only films, limits original song submissions

The Academy’s Board of Governors has approved rules and campaign regulations for the 95th Academy Awards, which will take place on March 12, 2023.

The eligibility period for Academy Awards consideration will return to the full calendar year: a feature film must have a qualifying theatrical release date between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022.  The Academy Screening Room will no longer be a method of qualification, as theaters have reopened; the six qualifying U.S. metropolitan areas continue to be Los Angeles County; the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, and apply to General Entry categories as well as the Documentary and Short Film categories. 

This reverts back to the pre-pandemic era of one-week minimum qualifying theatrical releases that was loosened for the last two seasons due to theater shutdowns during the height of COVID in 2020 and 2021. The Academy had previously allowed films intended for theatrical release but moved over to streaming-only, and allowed to be uploaded to the Academy Screening Room, to compete.

The Board of Governors approved other rules changes for the 95th Awards including:

• In the Documentary categories, the two category names have been changed to:
  • Documentary Feature Film
  • Documentary Short Film
• In the Music (Original Song) category, no more than three songs from any one film may be submitted.
• In the Sound category, producers will be required to make their films available for viewing by Sound Branch members, particularly when the release date is after the preliminary voting cycle opens.  Any special circumstances requests regarding eligible nominees must be received by the General Entry deadline of November 15, 2022.  Additionally, clips for the nominating screening (bake-off) shall not exceed 10 minutes of running time per title.

Submission deadlines are as follows:

Documentary Feature Film – Monday, October 3, 2022
International Feature Film – Monday, October 3, 2022
Animated Short Film – Friday, October 14, 2022
Documentary Short Film – Friday, October 14, 2022
Live Action Short Film – Friday, October 14, 2022
Original Score – Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Original Song – Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Animated Feature Film – Tuesday, November 15, 2022
General Entry categories – Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Campaign regulations, which specify how companies and individuals may market to Academy members films and achievements eligible for the 95th Academy Awards, were also updated.  Access to the Academy Screening Room will continue to be made available for all eligible releases.  Digital links to materials will be permitted under certain circumstances.  Film synopses may no longer contain credits, as film companies will now have the option to include credits on the Academy Screening Room prior to nominations, which are January 24, 2023. 

For the complete 95th Academy Awards rules, visit oscars.org/rules.