Errol Morris’s four-hour hybrid documentary Wormwood is on the list. David Lynch’s 18-hour Twin Peaks season is not. Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis is in the running, but George Michael: Freedom is ineligible.
With the increased number of films making a day-and-date debut in theaters and on streaming services, it’s getting harder to keep track of which Netflix and Amazon Prime fare is up for Oscars. If you’re thinking of nominating a film from outside the awards-pundit mainstream on your Oscar ballot, be sure to check it against the Academy’s official “reminder list” [PDF] to ensure you’re not wasting your vote.
In general, any film running more than 40 minutes long that screens three times a day on at least seven consecutive days in a commercial L.A. movie theater beginning between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, is eligible for awards.
This year, though, there are a few more quirks than usual. For example, even though you may have received a DVD screener of it, Louis CK’s I Love You, Daddy is definitely not for your consideration. And no matter how much you may have enjoyed Alicia Vikander in Tulip Fever or Matthew McConaughey in Gold, forget about them — both films were released by The Weinstein Company, which has all but shuttered its doors in disgrace, and do not appear on the Academy’s list.
Nominations voting begins January 5 and closes January 12. The Oscar nominations will be announced Tuesday, January 23, and final voting runs from February 20 through 27 in advance of the Oscars ceremony on March 4.
