Tarantino, Scorsese, Rogen criticize the Oscars in an open letter

In the days following the Academy of Arts and Science's decision to award four awards – Best Photography, Best Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyles, and Best Live Short Film – to the live broadcast of the 91st edition In an effort to reduce the running time of the Oscars, a number of filmmakers have publicly defended abandoned categories, including the film and editing awards. A larger group of leading directors of photography, directors and filmmakers have written an open letter to Academy President John Bailey, criticizing the withdrawal of four awards from the show.

The open letter follows critics of social media from Guillermo Del Toro and film leader Alfonso Cuarón, who tweeted: "In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without an actor and without music, no film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing ".

Open Letter to the Academy of Film Arts and Sciences and Producers of the 91st Oscars Awards:

On Monday, February 11, 2019, John Bailey, president of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Cinema, announced that this year's Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography – as well as the edition, the short film live, makeup and hairstyle – will not be broadcast live. , but rather presented during a commercial break. This decision was made to reduce the duration of the show from four to three hours. The vocal response of our peers and the immediate reaction of the leaders of the sector following the decision of the Academy clearly show that it is not too late for this decision to be canceled.

The Academy was founded in 1927 to recognize and defend excellence in the cinematographic arts, inspire imagination and help connect the world through the film's universal medium. Unfortunately, we have moved away from this mission to present shows rather than to present a celebration of our art form and the people who are at the origin.

To relegate these essential cinematic arts professions to a lower status at the 91st Oscars is nothing short of an insult to those of us who have dedicated our lives and our pbadions to the profession of our choice.

The show's director, Glenn Weiss, said he would determine what "emotionally resonant" moments from the four winners' speeches will be selected for later broadcast on the show. The show will reduce any additional commentary by the presenters, as well as any recitation of the nominees as they please.

Since its inception, the television broadcast of the Oscars has been modified over time to keep the format fresh, but never sacrificing the integrity of the initial mission of the Academy. When the very institution that aims to protect it diminishes the recognition of those responsible for the creation of an exceptional cinema, we no longer maintain the spirit of the promise made by the Academy to celebrate the film as an artistic form. collaborative. To quote our colleague Seth Rogen, "What better way to celebrate film productions than to NOT publicly honor the people who film things".

Sign,

Filmmakers

Dion BeebeBill BennettRoger DeakinsPeter DemingCaleb DeschanelRobert ElswitMauro FioreGreig FraserJanusz KaminskiEllen KurasEd LachmanRobert LegatoEmmanuel LubezkiAnthony Dod MantleSeamus McGarveyChris MengesDan MindelReed MoranoRachel MorrisonGuillermo NavarroPhedon PapamichaelWally PfisterRodrigo PrietoRobert PrimesRobert RichardsonLinus SandgrenJohn SealeNewton Thomas SigelVittorio StoraroJohn TollHoyte van HoytemaKees OostrumRoy van Wagner

directors

Damien ChazelleCary Joji FukunagaSpike JonzeAng LeeSpike LeeDee ReesSeth RogenMartin ScorseseQuentin Tarantino

filmmakers

Kym BarrettJudy BeckerAlan Edward BellErin BenachAvril BeukesConsolata BoyleMaryann BrandonAlexandra ByrneMilena CanoneroChris CorbouldHank CorwinTom CrossNathan CrowleySophie From RakoffChris DickensBob DucsayLou EyrichDante FerrettiPaul FranklinDana GlaubermanWilliam GoldenbergAffonso GoncalvesAdam GoughJon GregoryDorian HarrisJoanna JohnstonPaul LambertMary Jo MarkeyJoi McMillonEllen MirojnickStephen MirrioneBob MurawskiJohn OttmanSandy PowellFred RaskinTatiana S. RiegelElísabet RonaldsdóttirMayes RubeoNat SandersJ.D. SchwalmAnna B. Sheppard Terilyn A. Shropshire

Joan SobelMichael TronickMark UlanoMartin WalshDavid WascoBilly WeberJulie WeissMichael WilkinsonHughes WinborneJanty YatesMary Zophres