Hollywood paves the way for diversity and representation

September 25, 2020

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced that, from 2024 onward, movies must meet newly imposed diversity criteria to be considered for Best Picture, the final and most prestigious Oscar of the world-famous award ceremony. To be precise, at least 30% of cast members, production and distribution teams must be part of underrepresented groups based on race, gender, sexuality and disability status to evade ineligibility.

The announcement coincided with the premiere of Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan, which stars Chinese-American actress Yifei Liu. Many celebrated the casting of Liu, mindful of the successful anti-whitewashing petition and #OscarsSoWhite activism that preceded it. Mulan does, however, cover another chapter of racial supremacy, namely China’s oppression of its northern, Mongolic peoples, to which many historians believe Hua Mulan belonged. Liu, conversely, belongs to the hegemonic Han people; the financial advantages of appeasing the Chinese government impede the ethnic representation the very same industry is trying to foster at home. Unsurprisingly, there seems to be no easy fix in this complicated world of race politics.

About the author(s)

After studying business administration and working at media production companies, Joep joined FreedomLab to advance their presence in the digital sphere. His assignments include website design, brand strategy and communication projects for the thinktank as well as its sister companies. As a tech optimist, he is very enthusiastic about the boundless opportunities that the Digital Age holds for us. While a broad spectrum of sectors is undergoing transformative changes, he finds himself particularly captivated by the evolution of media and communication. His passion stems from three main factors: the increase in global connectivity, the democratization of knowledge, and the proliferation of creative outlets.

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