Numerous WFF Alumni & Friends Invited to Join Academy as New Members

Photo by Pedro Marroquin on Unsplash

After facing repeated criticism for failing to address its racial and gender imbalances, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has made a concerted effort to bolster its ranks by recruiting more diverse voices. In the 2020 class of Academy invitees, 36 percent are from underrepresented racial and ethnic communities, 49 percent come from outside the United States, and 45 percent are women, altogether increasing the current member base from 8,594 to 9,412.

Among the Academy's newest invited members are several Woodstock Film Festival alums and friends, including directors Alma Ha’rel (HONEY BOY, BOMBAY BEACH), Sandi Dubowski (TREMBLING BEFORE G-D, A JIHAD FOR LOVE), Carol Dysinger (LEARNING TO SKATE IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL), CAMP VICTORY, AFGHANISTAN), Yoruba Richen (THE NEW BLACK, PROMISED LAND), and David France (THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON, HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE, WELCOME TO CHECHNYA), producers Jeffrey Malmberg (SPETTACOLO, MARWENCOL) and Maria Cuomo Cole (NEWTON, LIVING FOR 32), editor Michael Taylor (THE FAREWELL, LOVE IS STRANGE), composer Anton Sanko (FRACTURED, OUIJA), as well as distribution executive Elissa Federoff (NEON). You can view the full list on the the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences website here.

Congratulations to all of the new invitees!