I love film.  I love watching actors that are “artists,”not performers, do their thing.  I love good dialogue, riveting plot, beautiful scenery, subtle and yet breathtaking direction.

But I hate watching other people get awards.

It’s not an envy thing, I promise. I just find it all so boring.  It’s like watching a party you haven’t been invited to. That? Is not fun to me. I understand the fascination the the Oscars, though  I assume seeing your favorite actor or actress get an award for doing a good job is simultaneously made pleasurable by seeing them wear your favorite designer?  Hey, I’m not here to judge, only to complain about “not getting it.”

Angelina Jolie happens to be my favorite actress because I don’t live a world where talent and stealing Jennifer Aniston’s husband are somehow diametrically opposed, but I don’t care if the “Academy” thinks she did a good job in whatever movie she was in this year.  Was she even in a movie this year?  I can’t remember. Not the point.

Who is the Academy, anyway?

Which brings me to the actual point.

An op-ed piece by Jessie Jackson in the Chicago Sun Times answers that question:

A remarkable investigation by Los Angeles Times reporters pierced the screen of secrecy to reveal that the voting members are a stunning 94 percent Caucasian and 77 percent male. Only 2 percent are African American, and less than 2 percent are Latino. Their median age is 62, and only 14 percent are younger than 50.

I notice that Asians don’t even figure in there.  I assume because we’re too busy working out Calculus problems, manning call centers or beating our children for not practicing the piano for three hours a day. Furthermore:

In the 83 years of the Academy, the Times reports, only 4 percent of Oscars have been awarded to an African American. Only one woman has received the award for directing.

Maybe it’s not that the Academy Awards bore me.

Maybe it’s that me and those guys don’t think the same things are important?

Film reflects and impact cultural norms.  Essentially, it holds the power to highlight the importance of social issues or to diminish them. It’s odd that an entity that’s entrusted with deciding which pieces are most important within this genre lacks ethnic, gender and even “age” diversity.

How much impact do you think an Oscar has upon the popularity and cultural relevance of a film? Is who decides what is “Oscar worthy” important?

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