According to an announcement by Sundance, five of the institute’s Native American and Indigenous Program alumni have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This is a positive change for Oscars diversity as the Native artists become a part of the nominating and voting body of the Oscars, each within their own branches and on larger voting sections for the awards.
The five artists and program alumni – as well as a few of their production credits – are listed on the Sundance Institute website:
Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur D’alene)
Adam Beach (Saulteaux of Dog Creek First Nation)
Cliff Curtis (Te Arawa, Ngāti Hauiti)
Heather Rae (Cherokee)
Taika Waititi (Te Whanau A Apanui)
Yay. Only a few decades late to the game.
Yeah, that’s Hollywood for you. Now, if they can manage to stop whitewashing everything, we might get somewhere.
Whoah…whoah…baby steps!! :-p
Hooray! They invited some people who aren’t white, Hollywood racism has ended!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone is equal!!!!! Everyone’s opinion matters equally, and all racial discrimination issues have now been resolved! It’s not Hollywood’s fault they’re still making white movies all the time!!!!!! MERIT!!!
Anyway, for serious, I am thrilled to see these five people invited; I just wish they’d done this years and years ago. And maybe invited more than just five.
rq:
Wait…there are more than five Indians?
;)
I guess there used to be? About twice as many? :)