The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), in an effort to diversify the voting pool for the Golden Globe Awards has invited members of FIPRESCI to vote as non-members for the 2023 ceremony.
The HFPA is seeking to increase its membership by 200 voters who are not members. This is to improve its image and win back support from studios, streamers and publicists in Hollywood. That would nearly triple the total pool of Globes voters – up from the current 101 active members and three emeritus members who currently make up the organization. An HFPA spokesperson stated that there has not been a hard limit on the number of jurors, and that they will monitor the response and enthusiasm from FIPRESCI members.
A representative for FIPRESCI stated that the invitation was received via email from the HFPA. The invite was then sent to its many global members. However, it didn’t make any recommendations about accepting or declining the invitation.
“We support the idea and wish of the HFPA to diversify the voters on an international level, in the sense of a richness of cultures,”Klaus Eder was the general secretary of FIPRESCI and spoke in a statement. “As well, our colleagues, in particular in small and remote countries, may appreciate to get an early access (or an access at all) to the eligible cinema and TV films.”
To be eligible for voting for the Globes members and critics of FIPRESCI must be based abroad and write for international publications. Voters who have been approved may reapply each year, but must be approved again.
FIPRESCI is a federation involving many national film criticism associations from 49 different countries. While some countries have hundreds of members, others only have a handful. Eder pointed out that it is hard to determine the exact number of its members. FIPRESCI also has 79 members for countries that do not have national associations. “individual members”From around 35 countries, some of which are based in the U.S. A spokesperson for the HFPA explained that critics writing for U.S. publications will not be eligible for voting for the Globes in 2023.
FIPRESCI members can apply to be Globes voters until July 20, 2018. Five non-HFPA journalists professionals and four active HFPA members will review applications. HFPA Credentials Committee.
“Our plans to continue increasing the size and diversity of the voting body reflects our commitment to be more representative of the larger global community and represent the diversity of interests embodied by the international journalists covering the growth of streaming entertainment content and the rapid rise of overseas production centres such as Bollywood and Nollywood,”The HFPA stated in a statement. “It’s a recognition of the collapse of international journalists being able to work and earn sustainable living in the U.S. due to the changed media landscape with almost all international bureaus dedicated to entertainment and based in the U.S. being eliminated by overseas publications.”
As part of its efforts to increase diversity, the HFPA welcomed 21 new members last year (six of which were Black). The organization updated its bylaws recently to increase the number of voters, but not the membership rolls. However, the group is now reaching out to international groups starting with FIPRESCI.
The HFPA has continued to struggle to win over Hollywood publicists, studios and networks who boycotted the group following a 2021 Los Angeles Times report that exposed the group’s history of self-dealing and lack of even a single Black member. NBC cancelled the broadcast in 2022 after much outcry.
The group responded by adding 21 more members (6 of which were Black), appointing an executive chief diversity officer, and installing other reform efforts. However, it also reported that the boycott continues. By contrast, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which similarly came under scrutiny for its lack of diversity, has as of this year over 10,000 active members thanks to its membership overhaul – an increase of several thousand since 2015’s viral #OscarsSoWhite campaign.
Screen DailyFirst reported the news.
