Earlier this year, the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag was at a fever pitch, for good reason. For a number of reasons, Hollywood has a big problem with racism and diversity, and just this week the discussion got kicked into high gear due to a conversation Tilda Swinton and Margaret Cho had via email over Tilda's role in Doctor Strange. While we're far from Hollywood being a pillar of diversity (although they seem to be trying), the folks over at the British Film Institute are out here seemingly doing the Lord's work.
Reportedly, the BAFTAs will not be accepting films that lack diversity starting in 2019. What could this mean? Well, Tim Burton better ramp up the diversity of his casts if he plans on being eligible for a BAFTA in a few years.
It's truly an important statement to make, but this could be a double-edged sword. These are the BAFTAs, so while it's a great look for an institution to truly put their foot down, are Hollywood producers going to give a f*ck about making sure their features appease the squad at the BAFTAs? On the flipside, will a stance like this force the Oscars hand to be even more considerate to the diverse batch of films coming down the pipeline?
Time will tell. For now, it's a great look for the BAFTAs, and one can hope that this moment actually causes a shift in the system for the good.
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