Oscar invites 12 Iranian cineastes to join voting body
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited 12 Iranian filmmakers and film professionals to join its membership, underscoring the growing international recognition of Iranian cinema as the organization continues to broaden the diversity of its global voting body.
The Academy announced that 529 artists and film executives from around the world had been invited to become members. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said the invitees had made "significant contributions to our global filmmaking community" through their dedication to the craft, Quds Online reported.
Among the Iranian invitees are documentary filmmakers Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni and Afsaneh Salari; editor Amir Etminan; producer Negar Eskandarfar; cinematographer Amin Jafari; sound professionals Abdolreza Heydari and Hassan Shabankareh; screenwriters Alireza Khatami, Shadmehr Rastin and Nader Saeivar; and Sherry Shirazi, a Sony Pictures executive.
The Academy's 2026 invitation list also features internationally recognized actors and filmmakers, including Jenna Ortega, Jacob Elordi, Josh O'Connor, Teyana Taylor and Stephen Fry.
If all invitations are accepted, the Academy's total membership will reach 11,319, including 10,338 voting members. The organization said its overall membership would comprise 36% women, 25% members from underrepresented communities and 22% international members, reflecting its ongoing effort to expand global representation.
The invitations come ahead of the 2027 Academy Awards season, following recent rule changes that clarify the role of artificial intelligence in filmmaking while maintaining that creative authorship remains central to Oscar eligibility. The Academy has also updated its awards rules to allow performers to receive multiple acting nominations in the same year.