How the Academy Decides Which Films Qualify for Best Picture

Most people think of Best Picture as a contest decided by votes. Before any ballot is cast, though, a film has to clear a set of written requirements. Those rules cover when it was released, where it played, and how its production is documented.

The Academy publishes these requirements each year, and the 2026 version for the 99th Awards is already out. Here is how the process works, using the Academy’s own rule text and recent reporting.

A Calendar Year Window

Every awards year has a fixed eligibility period. For the 99th Awards, a feature film must meet the qualifying criteria, and the period runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. A film that misses that window waits for the next cycle.

This is why late December releases are so common in awards season. A film opening in the last days of the year still counts for the same ceremony as one released in January.

Playing in a Real Theater

The first test is a theatrical one. The picture must have been publicly exhibited for paid admission in a commercial motion picture theater in one of the qualifying U.S. metro areas. Free screenings or private showings don’t satisfy the rule.

The Academy also asks Best Picture entrants to complete what it calls the Expanded Theatrical Run criteria. The film must complete the Best Picture Expanded Theatrical Run criteria to qualify. That sits on top of the basic theatrical requirement, so it’s a separate hurdle.

The Qualifying Metro Areas

The Academy names specific places where a qualifying run can happen. The list includes Los Angeles County, the five boroughs of New York City, the Bay Area, Chicago’s Cook County, and Dallas-Fort Worth. The rule text counts six metro areas in all, and the others are spelled out in the full document.

The list is defined by counties, which keeps the rule precise. A theater just outside those boundaries wouldn’t count toward qualification, no matter how successful the run.

Where Streaming and Television Fit

Streaming films can compete, but the route matters. Films whose first public showing is outside a movie theater, such as on television, online, or on demand, aren’t eligible. A film has to reach a qualifying theater first.

There’s a practical allowance for hybrid releases. Films released in theaters and on streaming or video on demand on the same day are still eligible. That’s how many streamer backed titles enter the race.

The RAISE Form

Since the 2024 ceremony, Best Picture entrants have faced an additional requirement beyond release. Films must complete a confidential Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry form, known as RAISE. The form is not public, so the Academy doesn’t publish individual films’ answers.

The submission also has to come from someone accountable. A representative confirmed by the film’s motion picture company must complete the RAISE submission.

Meeting Two of Four Standards

The inclusion rules work like a menu, not a single checklist. A film must meet two out of four of the standards to be eligible for Best Picture consideration. Passing one isn’t enough, but no particular pair is mandated.

The four areas are on screen representation, crew, industry access and opportunities, and audience development. The Academy described them as on screen, among the crew, at the studio, and in opportunities for training and advancement. The standards were developed by a task force led by Academy governors DeVon Franklin and Jim Gianopulos, in consultation with the Producers Guild of America.

What the Standards Look Like in Practice

The criteria are concrete. On screen, a film can qualify if a lead or significant supporting actor is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, or if at least thirty percent of secondary roles come from two underrepresented groups. A film can also qualify if its main story centers on such a group.

Crew standards use numbers too. One path requires at least thirty percent of the crew to be from an underrepresented group. The remaining standards cover paid internships, apprenticeships, and training, along with representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution teams.

The rules have drawn public criticism this year. Variety tested them against history and reported that it ran all ninety eight Best Picture winners through the standards, and none failed to qualify.

Deadlines and Who Can Submit

Paperwork has a hard cutoff. Entrants must submit the general entry forms, Best Picture Expanded Theatrical Run information, a completed RAISE form, and full screen credits by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, November 12, 2026. That is a month away.

Not just anyone can enter a film. Best Picture entries can only be submitted by a confirmed representative of the distributor or production company. Filmmakers can’t submit on their own.

Final Rulings and Nomination Voting

Questions about whether a film qualifies go to one place. The Academy resolves all questions of eligibility and rules. The rules also warn that problems with the required release window can lead to revocation of a film’s nomination.

Once films are eligible, members choose the field. Members vote in order of preference for no more than ten pictures, and the ten receiving the most votes become the nominees. The ten film field has been fixed since the 94th Academy Awards, replacing a fluctuating number of nominees.

Who Receives the Credit

Best Picture goes to producers, not studios. The credited individuals must have a screen credit of producer or produced by. Credits such as executive producer, co producer, and associate producer don’t qualify for nominations or statuettes.

Nominees are the three or fewer producers who performed the major portion of the producing functions.