The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering introducing gender-neutral acting categories at the Oscars, following a trend seen in other award shows. Other changes considered include honoring best casting and stunts and evolving the Oscars' awards structure and format to adapt to changing viewing habits and engagement metrics.

The Academy's new CEO, Bill Kramer, has confirmed discussions on gender-neutral categories. Discussions on these changes are in their early stages and include consulting with committees and the Board of Governors.

Kramer aims to diversify support for the Academy. He faces challenges to make the Oscars relevant and financially secure, including tough negotiations with ABC to renew the Oscars telecast deal. The Academy has launched the Academy100 iitiative to raise $500 million in four years, already reaching 20% of the goal with partners like Rolex.

Sources: Newsweek, Yahoo News, Il Giornale, Euronews, Huffington Post UK, The A.V. Club, Moneycontrol, Variety, AOL.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

The post Oscar organizers considering gender-neutral acting awards appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A new streaming service, Screen iL, targeting Israeli expatriates and consumers worldwide with an appetite for native Israeli film and TV content, has launched globally online.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The new streaming service, built for Screen iL by SeaChange International, is the only legal platform to broadcast a wide variety of Israeli TV channels, films and other content outside the country. While the bilingual Hebrew and English content will be actively marketed to consumers in the US, it will also be open to Israeli film and TV lovers globally.

Screen iL says it offers the most comprehensive collection of Israeli films, pre-taped and live Israeli TV in the world, outside Israel.

The movie library contains nearly every Israeli movie ever produced, especially those which won awards in Israel, such as The Cakemaker, Fill the Void, Wedding Doll and Synonyms, as well as Oscar-nominated films including Footnote, Beaufort, Sallah and The Policeman.

"We founded the Screen iL service based on our own experience traveling abroad and feeling an emotional need for a window into Israel," said CEO Ben Berner.

"Whether it's news, comedy, humor, shows, movies or Hebrew; living abroad creates an emotional need to stay connected – we've all experienced it and that notion was the idea and the foundation for Screen iL," Berner added.

"Bringing the Screen iL service to life and the chance to serve the Israeli diaspora and lovers of Israeli culture around the world has been a labor of love for our team," said Robert Pons, executive chairman of SeaChange International. "Both project teams are fully aligned and committed to the long-term success of the business."

Israelis abroad, or fans of Israeli film and television, can opt for either a $19.99 monthly or a $219.99 all-inclusive subscription.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post 'Israeli Netflix' brings local film and TV to the world appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren will play the role of iconic Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in an upcoming biographical film Golda. 

The movie will be directed by Oscar-winning Israeli director Guy Nattiv. Production is to begin in October. 

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The screenplay, which was written by world-renowned writer and producer Nicholas Martin, focuses on the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the challenges it presented Meir, also known as the "Iron Lady" of Israeli politics.  

"As someone who was born during the Yom Kippur War, I am honored to tell this fascinating story about the first and only woman to ever lead Israel," Nattiv said. "Nicholas Martin's brilliant script dives into Golda's final chapter as the country faces a deadly surprise attack during the holiest day of the year, a core of delusional generals undermining Golda's judgment, all the while undergoing secret treatments for her illness."

Meir died of lymphoma in 1978, four years after resigning from office.

 Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Helen Mirren to portray Golda Meir in new Yom Kippur War film appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In addition to Oscars for best actor and best director, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also gives out awards for categories involving science and technology. This year, an Israeli team won an Academy Award  in the Scientific and Engineering category for developing a wireless video technology, the academy announced Tuesday.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

The winners are Prof. Meir Feder of the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering at Tel Aviv University and Dr. Zvi Reznic, co-founders of the startup Amimon, and the start-up's senior executives, Guy Dorman and Ron Yogev.

Amimon's technology allows video shots of very high quality from a number of cameras to be transmitted in real time to monitors, allowing the director and crew full control of all shooting angles simultaneously. Feder said that the technology was already used throughout the global film industry.

"We developed the basic technology in 2004-2005 when everyone thought that the task was very difficult or even impossible," Feder said. "We knew that it was a real technological achievement, but never imagined we would win the Oscar for it.

"About a year ago, the Prize Committee notified us that we had been nominated, but I thought it was just a gimmick. About a month ago, I suddenly got an official email from the Academy in Hollywood, informing us that we had won the Oscar.

"We were elated. I have won many academic awards, but the Oscar is certainly the most famous, an award that every person in the street knows. For me and for the great team who took part in developing the technology, this is an enormous achievement, and I feel very proud."

 Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post The envelope, please: Israeli startup wins Oscar for film technology appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.