Scorsese, Tarantino sign open letter about changes to Oscars broadcast

Hollywood heavyweights including Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese have publicly slammed a plan to hand out Oscars during the commercial breaks as an 'insult'.

In an open letter to the Academy on Wednesday, more than 40 high-profile directors and cinematographers blasted the decision and called for it to be reversed. 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences plans to hand out four awards during commercial breaks at the upcoming 91st Oscars in an effort to shorten the broadcast to three hours.

The commercial-banished categories include cinematography, makeup and hairstyling, film editing and live action shorts.

Spike Lee

Martin Scorsese

In an open letter to the Academy on Wednesday, more than 40 high-profile directors including Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese blasted changes to this year's Oscars broadcast

'Relegating these essential cinematic crafts to lesser status in this 91st Academy Awards ceremony is nothing less than an insult to those of us who have devoted our lives and passions to our chosen profession,' the open letter to AMPAS president John Bailey reads. 

'When the recognition of those responsible for the creation of outstanding cinema is being diminished by the very institution whose purpose it is to protect it, then we are no longer upholding the spirit of the Academy's promise to celebrate film as a collaborative art form. 

Quentin Tarantino also signed the letter publicly slamming the plan to hand out four Oscars during the commercial breaks as an 'insult'

Quentin Tarantino also signed the letter publicly slamming the plan to hand out four Oscars during the commercial breaks as an 'insult'

'The immediate backlash from industry leaders over the Academy's decision makes it clear that it's not too late to have this decision reversed.'

In addition to prominent directors Lee, Tarantino and Scorsese, cinematographers Roger Deakins, Caleb Deschanel, Janusz Kaminski, Emmanuel Lubezki, Reed Morano, Robert Richardson, Vittorio Storaro and John Toll also signed the letter.  

The changes to the February 24 show, which will air on ABC, were revealed in an email to the Academy membership on Monday.

Bailey insisted that the Academy would still be honoring the achievements of all 24 awards during the Oscars. He said the winners' speeches for the categories announced during commercial breaks would be aired later in the broadcast. 

The film academy plans to rotate the four categories each year, according to Bailey. 

Responding to widespread backlash, the film academy issued a statement on Wednesday criticizing 'inaccurate reporting' and social media posts for what they described as a 'chain of misinformation' that has angered film academy members.

Alfonso Cuaron, himself a multiple-nominee for producing, directing, writing and cinematography for 'Roma,' fired off a tweet criticizing the Academy's decision

Alfonso Cuaron, himself a multiple-nominee for producing, directing, writing and cinematography for 'Roma,' fired off a tweet criticizing the Academy's decision

Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro, of The Shape of Water, said cinematography and editing were at the very heart of the craft 

Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro, of The Shape of Water, said cinematography and editing were at the very heart of the craft 

The move sparked anger among Hollywood stars, including previous winner Russell Crowe

The move sparked anger among Hollywood stars, including previous winner Russell Crowe

Seth Rogen made his feelings clear after the announcement 

Seth Rogen made his feelings clear after the announcement 

The decision to give short shrift to certain crafts categories was wildly unpopular with many prominent film industry figures. 

Alfonso Cuaron, himself a multiple-nominee for producing, directing, writing and cinematography for 'Roma,' fired off a tweet criticizing the Academy's decision.

'In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing,' wrote Cuaron.

The director's frequent collaborator, three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki, chimed in on Instagram that 'cinematography and editing are probably the 'elementary particles,' the primordial composition of cinema. It's an

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