Nadine Labaki Announced as the Academy’s Newest Member

The Capernaum director is diversifying the Oscars

After making history by becoming the first female Arab director to win at Cannes Film Festival in over 12 years, Nadine Labaki has solidified her position in the film industry on an international scale—and rightfully so. Today, the Capernaum director’s career has taken to new heights having been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of its voting members.

 

Labaki’s invite comes as part of the Academy’s most recent bid to diversify its voting body. Among the list of invitees is Tunisian Producer Dora Bouchoucha, Algerian actress Sofia Boutella, and the controversial Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri.

 

In their efforts to become more inclusive, the Academy sent out a record 928 invitations this year—38% of which, according to Variety, is comprised of people of colour—and if accepted, would bring total people of color  representation to 16 percent—a three percent increase from 2017.

 

The move towards diversity comes after the downpour of criticism towards the Oscar’s governing body in 2016, after which the Academy made an announcement committing to promoting diversity by substantially increasing both female and persons of colour memberships.  

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