Oscar Nominations Pushed and Voting Extended in Latest Wildfire Postponements

The Los Angeles bake-offs for the Sound, VFX, and makeup branches have also been canceled.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending its voting period by two days and also delaying the announcement of the Oscars nominations until Sunday, January 19 in response to the ongoing wildfires that have been the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history.

AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer sent a message to members on Wednesday evening informing of the change, specifying that voting now closes on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. PT, and the nominations announcement will in turn move from Friday, Jan. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 19.

Additionally, the Academy has postponed some screenings of shortlisted titles and canceled its LA bake-offs for the Sound, VFX, and Makeup branches of the Academy.

The voting window for nominations on the 97th Oscars just opened Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. PT, but the wildfires, including most notably the Palisades Fire impacting the Pacific Coast, have resulted in a wave of event cancellations and postponements within the last 24 hours, everything from film premieres for “Wolf Man,” “Better Man,” and “The Pitt,” as well as awards receptions for the AFI Luncheon, Critics Choice Awards, and BAFTA Tea Party.

The Bake-Offs for the shortlisted film submissions are still taking place in person in New York, London, and the Bay Area for their respective branches, but LA-based members who can no longer attend can still participate by going to the Academy Screening Room.

Read Kramer’s full note to members below.

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We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California. So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.

Given the fire situation, we want to share some updates regarding an extension to the Oscars nominations voting window as well as updated information on Oscars Shortlist Screenings, Oscars Bake-Offs, and the Academy Museum.

Nominations voting for the 97th Oscars opened this morning at 9am PT. We will be extending the voting window by two days to give members more time to cast their ballots. Voting will now close on Tuesday, January 14 at 5pm PT.

As such, our Oscars Nominations Announcement will move from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19. More information on the announcement will follow soon.

The International Feature Film Shortlist Screening scheduled to take place this evening in Los Angeles will be rescheduled to later this week. Shortlist screenings will continue as scheduled in New York and London. Please note that all 15 shortlisted films in the International Feature Film category are available on the Academy Screening Room (ASR).

The in-person Los Angeles Sound Branch Bake-Off scheduled for Saturday, January 11 has been canceled. The Bay Area, London and New York Sound Bake-Off schedules remain unchanged. Please note that the Sound Bake-Off will be available to all members on the ASR.

The in-person Los Angeles and New York Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch Bake-Offs scheduled for Saturday, January 11 have been canceled. Members of the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch are invited to participate in a virtual discussion with the designated nominees that will be held on Saturday, January 11 – with details to follow soon. Please note that Bake-Off clips of the shortlisted films will be available on the ASR.

The in-person Los Angeles and Bay Area Visual Effects Branch Bake-Offs scheduled for Saturday, January 11 have been canceled. Members of the Visual Effects Branch are invited to participate in a virtual discussion with the designated nominees that will be held on Saturday, January 11 – with details to follow soon. Please note that Bake-Off clips of the shortlisted films will be available on the ASR.

Finally, the Academy Museum is closed today, Wednesday, January 8. All screenings will be rescheduled. Please go to www.academymuseum.org for more information.

If you have any questions, please let me know or please feel free to contact Academy Support. They can be reached at support@oscars.org or +1 855.742.9140 from 8am – 8pm PT.

Thank you for your understanding during this complex time. We hope everyone is safe.

Bill Kramer
CEO