Oscars 2021 postponed to April 25, due to COVID-19 pandemic

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its decision to postpone next years Oscars ceremony by two months Oscars 2021 will be held on April 25 owing to the disruption in the release schedule of films all through 2020 caused by the COVID19 pandemicThe eligibility period of entry for the contest has also been pushed by a couple of months from the end of December 2020 to the end of February 2021For over a century movies have played an important role in comforting inspiring and entertaining us during the darkest of times They certainly have this year Our hope in extending the eligibility period and our awards date is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyones control Academy president David Rubin and chief executive Dawn Hudson said in a statement reports theguardiancoukThe Academys decision to push the ceremony by two months comes in the wake of its decision to standardise the number of nominations in the Best Picture category to 10 films Earlier the number of nominees in this category could vary Also the Academy recently announced that directtoOTT films that bypass theatrical release will also be considered valid for nominations at the Oscars 2021 in a firstThat apart special steps are being taken to ensure equal representation and inclusion while considering Oscar eligibility While the Academy has made strides we know there is much more work to be done in order to ensure equitable opportunities across the board The need to address this issue is urgent said HudsonKarey Burke the president of ABC entertainment the Academys broadcast partner hoped for a safe and celebratory event during this uncharted territory according to The Guardian websiteThe website adds that as far as the Oscars 2021 go films already garnering buzz include Steven Spielbergs West Side Story interpretation Ron Howards Hillbilly Elegy the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect and David Finchers Mank the biopic of Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman J MankiewiczApart from the muchawaited annual awards gala the Academy has also decided to postpone the opening of its museum The Academys museum was scheduled to open in December this year It will now be inaugurated in April next yearCatch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever