What are the Oscars’ standards of "Best Film"?

The answer to this question lies in their quirky voting process. The entire selection journey is quite a ride — it's all about the votes! Specifically, the Oscars are chosen by a bunch of movie maestros who are members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. These folks, ranging from directors and producers to actors and screenwriters, are industry bigwigs hailing from all corners of the globe. These professionals engage in multiple rounds of voting, before ultimately deciding which films get to strut home with that golden statuette. Have you ever noticed? The Oscars' got no strict criteria for picking "Best Film"! In other words, it's all about the aesthetic preferences of these industry big shots. Now, that could've wrapped up our answer, but as a side note, let me share a bit more.

Having these pros vote on movies is ok, but I think it inevitably brings up some issues. You see, when it comes to a movie, people's opinions about whether they love it or hate it can be all over the map. Toss in a sprinkle of biases, and things can get even trickier. Take, for instance, the issue of racial discrimination. This talk first surfaced in 2016 when the 88th Oscars nominations were announced, and major acting categories didn't include any non-white actors. It sparked questions about the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations, with folks like George Clooney and Spike Lee expressing their discontent. To tackle this, the Academy swiftly boosted its diversity by adding more female and non-white members. Let's have a look at the numbers — according to a survey by "The Times", in 2012, 94% of Oscar voters were white, and 77% were male. In 2015, it was 90% and 75%, and by 2021, it was 81% and 67%. Though the figures still aren’t completely balanced, progress is happening.

After over a decade, while racial issues have gained attention, one wonders if new challenges will pop up in the future. I bet they certainly will. Although the current voting system can't completely dodge biases, it does have a powerful correction mechanism. When faced with criticisms, the Academy can tweak its membership composition to address them, though the process might be a bit too slow for comfort.