BAFTA Announces Rule Changes to Bolster Award Diversity

More than 120 changes will be made to the BAFTA membership, voting, and campaigning processes, according to a report from the collective.

Changes include a greater number of nominees in acting and directing categories. The new directing category will address the lack of female representation.

BAFTA Chair Krishnendu Majumdar says this is "a watershed moment for BAFTA. The Academy has never opened itself up like this before. The sessions with contributors were tough, chastening, captivating and very moving... This is a reappraisal of our values and the culture of BAFTA. We want long term and sustainable change throughout the industry."

Adds Majumdar, "We put it on the table, about having three of the nominations reserved for women. We really very thoroughly discussed these things, but the vast majority of people didn't want that. They want their work to be seen, so we're making an intervention at an earlier stage. As long as the work is seen and is judged on merit, there's a greater opportunity that there will be diversity. But there's no guarantee, it could be six male directors nominated." Still, "As long as the longlists have some diversity there's a greater chance," he says.

Read the full report from the BAFTAs here.