Steven Spielberg opposes decision to hand out eight Oscar categories before the royal gala

worried and disappointed for the decision of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to present of eight categories of the Oscars one hour before of the broadcast of the award ceremony Sunday March 27.

This is how it has been expressed steven spielberga three-time Oscar winner, who is also not only nominated for Best Picture and Director again this year, but is also a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors.

Certainly Steven Spielberg has become the most powerful voice yet to voice his opposition to the idea..

“I do not agree with the decision made by the executive committee. I firmly believe that this is perhaps the most collaborative medium in the world. We all make movies together, we become a family in which one trade is as indispensable as others”, declared the 19-time Oscar nominee and winner of the Thalberg Prize (aimed at rewarding especially important characters in the world of film production).

“I feel like at the Academy Awards there is no above or below the line. We are all on the same page bringing the best of us to tell the best stories we can. And that means to me we should all sit together at the live dinner table at 5:00 p.m. (time of the gala in Los Angeles) ”.

The Academy announced two weeks ago its plans to award eight categories starting at 4:00 p.m. at dolby theater, venue of the awards, one hour before the original transmission of the contest. The idea is pre-record said winners to generate an edited televised version of the category and their speeches, in an effort to try to save time and keep the show under three hours.

Those categories are: Production Design, Sound, Original Music Score, Makeup and Hairstyling, Film Editing, Documentary Short, Live Action Short, and Animated Short.

west side story is nominated for seven Oscars, and two of her nominations for Sound and Production Design are in the affected categories. For Spielberg, he says the collective experience of making movies and honoring everyone equally is of paramount importance.

The Academy plans to post the results of those eight categories on its social media platforms as the winners are announced so they are known ahead of the ABC broadcast. That’s similar to what the Tonys and the Grammys do (the Emmys have separate creative arts shows).

The Oscars have never before separated the live and pre-recorded categories. However, due to declining ratings there has been pressure to make significant changes to the show.

Spielberg hopes the decision will be reversed. “But I have great respect for my fellow governors, and I have great respect for (Academy president) David Rubin,” he said, emphasizing the latter over his colleagues at the Academy and noting that this idea first came up in 2019.

“The same thing came close to happening three years ago and at the last moment a decision was made that reversed it and four categories that were in the commercial breaks were reincorporated into the live show. I hope it reverses, but I don’t anticipate a reversal and I’m not optimistic about it.”