During this time of the year which falls between the Cannes and the fall festival, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, famously known as the Oscars, kicks off its annual membership invitation process. The Oscars group have announced that they have extended 398 distinguished artists and executives whose remarkable contribution to the world of motion pictures will be recognised.
The comprehensive list comprises a diverse array of professionals spanning various disciplines within the film industry. Among the invitees are actors, directors, writers, producers, musicians, executives, artist representatives, publicists, and below-the-line contributors such as casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, film editors, makeup artists, hairstylists, production designers, and sound experts.
The 2023 class exhibits notable statistics, with 40% of its members being women. Additionally, 34% belong to underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, while 52% hail from 51 countries and territories outside the United States. A particularly intriguing aspect of this invitee class is that four branches have invited more women than men to join, namely casting directors, costume designers, makeup artists and hairstylists, and marketing and public relations.
In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their pride in welcoming these artists and professionals into the prestigious membership. They acknowledged the exceptional global talent exhibited by these individuals in their respective cinematic fields.
Among those invited are Nigerian writer and producer Jadesola Osiberu. A Pan-Atlantic University and University of Manchester alumni, Osiberu’s work includes Gangs of Lagos, the first Nigerian original film set to stream on Amazon. Veteran Nigerian actor Richard Mofe-Damijo whose previous experience includes the Culture and Tourism sector in Delta State, Nigeria also made the list. According to the Academy, if all the invited individuals accept their membership, the total number of members would reach just under 11000.
