Beginning in 2021, there will be ten Best Picture nominees each year at the Oscars. This is the next phase of Academy Aperture 2025, its Board of Governors' ongoing program to expand equity and inclusion.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also will implement several diversity initiatives, and limit its governors to a maximum 12 years of service, Deadline reported.
These changes will be implemented for the 94th Oscars in 2021, and do not affect this year's awards.
In a release, the Academy said it is "committed to building an anti-racist, inclusive organization that will contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around cinema, and build authentic relationships with diverse communities."
To that end, it is creating a task force with the Producers Guild of America to come up with "new representation and inclusion standards for Oscars eligibility" by July 31, Deadline reported. It will host panel discussions on the art of filmmaking, opportunity, history, ethnicity and race.
Annual unconscious bias training will be mandatory for staff, branch executive committee members and governors. It will also be made available to the organization's 9,000 members.
To help ensure Academy members will see all award-eligible films, they will be screened on a quarterly basis through the Academy streaming site.
The organization also committed to "diversifying its suppliers, investment opportunities and collections."