Oscars’ 99th Ceremony New Rules: Strict AI Restrictions and a Revamped International Feature Category

Performances and Screenplays Must Be “Human Original”, International Films No Longer Limited by Country of Origin, Same Actor Can Receive Multiple Nominations in Same Category

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Board of Governors officially approved on May 1 the awards rules and campaign regulations for the 99th Academy Awards. A series of landmark changes will have farreaching implications for animation, visual effects, acting, writing, and international feature categories. Among them, explicit bans on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and a complete overhaul of the International Feature Film nomination process are seen as the core of this year’s rule revisions.

AI Ban: Acting and Writing “De-algorithmized”

The new rules explicitly state that for the four acting categories – Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress – only roles “demonstrably performed by humans with their consent and actually presented on screen” are eligible. Any performance generated or substantially assisted by AI is disqualified.

In the writing categories – Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay – screenplays generated or substantially written by AI are also ineligible. Writers may use AI as a drafting or editing tool, but the primary creative authorship must be human.

An “Affidavit of Human Origin” becomes mandatory: submitters in affected categories must sign the affidavit confirming that the performance or screenplay was created by a human. A false declaration can result in disqualification and other formal consequences.

Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in March 2026 that as a production tool, AI “neither helps nor harms” a film’s chances – but that judgment applied only to production aids, not to the fundamental question of whether a performance itself was delivered by a human. The new rules for the 99th Oscars eliminate that ambiguity entirely.

Impact on the Industry and Producers

Re-balancing of production costs and human input: Producers can no longer rely on “digital actors” or fully AIgenerated performances as an awards strategy. While AI can still be used for previsualization, scene assistance, and other preproduction tasks, core performances must return to human actors. This will encourage investment in authentic acting while protecting the irreplaceability of performers.

Pressure on independent productions and small studios: Projects that rely on lowcost AIgenerated scripts or virtual characters lose the possibility of a “shortcut” in acting and writing categories. However, AI-assisted VFX, editing, and sound design remain eligible in technical categories, balancing innovation with artistic originality.

Higher legal and compliance risks: With the introduction of the Affidavit of Human Origin, producers must more rigorously document the creative process to prove that the primary authorship of scripts and performances is human. This may increase legal and compliance costs, especially for projects involving AIassisted creation.

International Feature Category: From “Country Selection” to “Film Autonomy”

The most significant change for global filmmakers concerns Best International Feature Film. The new rules completely eliminate the hard limit of “one film per country”. Additionally, a new qualification pathway has been created:

Non-English language films (including animated features) can automatically qualify by winning a designated prize at one of six major festivals: Berlin, Busan, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, or Venice.

The traditional route of submission via a national selection committee remains, but is no longer the only channel.

Most importantly: the nomination honour goes to the film itself, not the country it represents – the director will accept the award on behalf of the creative team.

This reform means that multiple excellent films from the same country can compete simultaneously, and highquality works no longer miss out because of a country’s single submission quota.

Impact on the Industry and Producers

Removing the “national ceiling” stimulates investment in non-English films: In the past, a highquality French or Korean animated feature could be blocked from nomination due to a country’s limited selection slot. Under the new rules, producers can more confidently invest in nonEnglish projects, knowing that a win at one of the six festivals opens a direct path. This will inevitably attract more international capital into non-English film production.

Resetting international distribution strategies: Distributors will place greater emphasis on competing at the six key festivals. If a film wins the Palme d’Or at Cannes or the Golden Lion at Venice, its Oscar international feature path becomes much smoother. Producers must plan festival routes from the project’s conception stage.

Opportunities for animation and documentaries: International animated features, which were often limited by national selection preferences, can now independently qualify via festival awards, opening a fairer competition channel for stylistically strong nonEnglish animations.

Acting Nomination Rules: Multiple Performances Can Be Nominated

Another notable change: the same actor can receive multiple nominations in the same acting category for different films in the same year. Previously, if an actor had two highranking performances that both reached the top five, only the one with the higher vote count would advance as a nominee. Under the new rules, both nominations can stand simultaneously.

Take Anne Hathaway, who has multiple films scheduled for release in 2026 – in theory, she could occupy several slots in the Best Actress category. While Deadline columnist and chief film critic Pete Hammond commented that “probably won’t happen, but it’s now possible.”

Impact on the Industry and Producers

Increased competition for talent, adjusted singlefilm risk: Producers will be more willing to cast the same actor in multiple awardscaliber films in a single year, since this no longer “dilutes” their nomination prospects. Top actors may appear in multiple producers’ Oscar strategies, driving up talent costs.

Reallocation of PR resources: The traditional strategy of “focusing resources on one film” must shift to multitrack operations – if an actor has multiple eligible works, PR teams must balance campaign pacing to avoid internal cannibalisation. Smaller distributors may face greater pressure.

Encouraging high output and diversity: The rule indirectly encourages actors to explore a wider range of roles and collaborations, positively contributing to overall artistic diversity.

Corresponding Adjustments for Visual Effects and Animation Categories

For visual effects, the Academy now requires all members to watch each finalist’s three-minute beforeandafter VFX reel from the BakeOff before voting in the final round – a measure aimed at increasing informed participation, similar to standards for other craft categories.

Submission deadlines for animated shorts and animated features are August 13 and November 12, 2026 (final deadlines), respectively. NonEnglish animated films in the International Feature category can qualify through either the festival prizes route or the national selection path, further integrating qualification standards between animation and liveaction.

Industry Reaction: Protection and Controversy

After the new rules were announced, overall response from social media and industry circles has been positive, particularly regarding the “humanonly” provisions for acting and writing. On popular entertainment Instagram account The Shade Room, many commentators praised the move as helping to protect creative jobs from algorithmic replacement.

However, some voices note that the AI ban covers only acting and writing, while technical categories such as VFX, cinematography, and editing still permit AI assistance – potentially creating a divide where “front of house is human, back of house is algorithm”. Additionally, the enforcement standards and verification process for the Affidavit of Human Origin have not yet been detailed, which could lead to future disputes.

Members of the international animation community, including ASIFA Hellas affiliates, believe that the new international feature rules are highly beneficial for smaller animation producing countries – Greek animation works previously limited by national selection quotas can now qualify independently through festival awards.

Looking Ahead to the 99th Oscars

The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 14, 2027. The new rules apply to all films released in 2026. Producers and distributors must now adjust their creative and submission strategies from this point forward, finding a new balance between technological innovation and human originality.

Full rules are available at: oscars.org/rules

About the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
The Academy comprises over 10,000 film industry professionals and each year honours outstanding artistic and scientific achievements in filmmaking through the Academy Awards. This year’s rule changes were jointly developed by the Academy’s Awards Committee, branch executive committees, the International Feature Film Executive Committee, and the Scientific and Technical Awards Executive Committee.