Set designer Zsuzsa Mihalek, who won an Oscar in March as a set designer for the film Szegény párák, was invited by the production design branch of the film academy to be one of its members.
The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wants to add 487 more members to its board this year, among the new invitees are Zsuzsa Mihalek and Lily Gladstone, who were recognized with this year's Oscar, as well as Catherine O'Hara, Jessica Alba and Sandra Hüller.
Together with the new members, the number of members of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) increases to 10,910. In 2025, 9,934 of them will be able to vote on the awarding of the Oscars.
44 percent of this year's invitees are women, and thus the proportion of women in the board reached 35 percent. 41 percent of the new members come from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities in accordance with the film academy's commitment to wake.
In the board, 20 percent now represent ethnic minorities, and 20 percent represent countries and territories outside the United States.
Among those invited now are 19 Oscar-winning artists and 71 Oscar-nominated artists. Eight filmmakers received invitations from several branches of the film academy, including Justine Triet, the French screenwriter-director of the film Anatomy of a Fall, and Ilker Catak, the writer and director of The Teacher's Room. They have to decide which sector they want to be in.
Notable industry professionals and veterans are also on the guest list, including Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, Tim League, founder of Alamo Drafthouse, Iris Knobloch, president of the Cannes Film Festival, Dan Friedkin, co-founder of 30West and Peter Safran, co-president of DC Studios.
Bill Kramer, the CEO of the Film Academy, and Janet Yang, the President of the Film Academy, welcomed the new members in a joint statement, who, as they said, had a significant impact on our film community around the world.
The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 2, 2025 in Los Angeles.
Cover photo: Zsuzsa Mihalek, Oscar- and BAFTA-winning visual designer, set decorator
Source: MTI/Tamás Purger
