The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts, and Sciences have strict rules when it comes to theOscars, and anyone who’s seen the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite will know their decisions aren’t free from controversy. But their latest nit picky move now offers more of a glimpse into how their collective minds work and how it changed the game for this year’s Original Screenplay category.
Deadlinereports thatMoonlightandLoving, though initially submitted for Best Original Screenplay, are instead eligible for Adapted Screenplay, per the Academy. It seems like a B.S. move to begin with, but there is apparently sufficient enough evidence.
Moonlightis based onIn Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, a stage piece written byTarell Alvin McCraneythat was never actually produced. McCraney has a “Story By” credit onMoonlightand subsequently teamed up with writer-directorBarry Jenkinsto rework the unproduced play into a feature film, with Jenkins going as far as to split the original story into three separate chapters. Despite the fact that this play never actually materialized, the Academy has deemedMoonlightas based on pre-existing material.
Lovingis in a similar situation.Jeff Nicholsboth wrote and directed the film, butNancy Buirski, who has a producer credit, wrote and directed the HBO documentary on the subject calledThe Loving Story, for which the film was initially conceived before they opted to develop a narrative route. Based on this line of reasoning, the Academy determined bothLovingandMoonlightare sufficiently based on pre-existing material and, therefore, cannot be considered “original” screenplays.
It seems as silly asOrange Is the New Blackcampaigning in the comedy category at the Golden Globes. Even the Writers Guild of America campaignedMoonlightandLovingfor original screenplays in the WGA Awards. But, now, this means the Original Screenplay Oscars category is a lot more open for films likeManchester by the SeaandLa La Landto snag a nomination and a win. It also means films many critics hadn’t initially thought of for an Original Screenplay nomination could have a shot. MaybeHell or High Water, one of the more well received but largely overshadowed films of the year.
But this also doesn’t mean bad news forMoonlight, as the film is now the heavy favorite to win Best Adapted Screenplay given how thin that category is at the moment.
For more on the Oscar race,click hereto catch up on Adam’s Oscar Beat series.
