The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has doubled the numbers of next year's contenders for Best Picture from 5 to 10 to give a wider range of worthy films.
- June 25, 2009
AceShowbiz -
In a surprising announcement, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed that the 82nd Annual Academy Awards will have more than 5 nominees for Best Picture category. Academy President Sid Ganis stated at a press conference held Wednesday morning, June 24, in Beverly Hills that the nominees for the particular category will expand into 10.
The Academy's decision is taken to open the field up to more worthy films for the top prize at Hollywood's most celebrated event, especially after the board looked at 2009 slate of films in which "The Dark Knight" was denied of a Best Picture nod despite its success. It will also mark the return to Oscar traditions of the '30s and '40s, when 10 nominees were common.
"After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," Ganis said, according to a press release. "The final outcome, of course, will be the same - one Best Picture winner - but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009."
"Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going to allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," he furthermore explained. "I can't wait to see what that list of 10 looks like when the nominees are announced in February."
The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on February 2, 2010. The telecast of the gala ceremony itself is scheduled for March 7, 2010. This year, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Frost/Nixon", "Milk", "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire" competed for the Best Picture title which was won by the latest.
