Academy Awards

Academy Awards, prizes given annually in the United States by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excellence in the creation and production of motion pictures. First presented in 1929 for films shown in 1927 and 1928, the Academy Awards, commonly known as Oscars, are among the film industry’s most coveted prizes.

The entire academy membership participates in voting for the annual awards. In most award categories, a maximum of five entrants are first nominated by the academy members who work in that particular field (that is, actors select actors, directors select directors, and so on). From among these nominees all academy members select the winners by secret ballot. The winners are publicly announced at a formal ceremony each spring. One hour of the 1929 awards ceremony was broadcast on the radio, and from 1944 through 1969 the entire ceremony was broadcast. Television broadcasts began in 1953 and today attract a worldwide audience. Various people claim to have given the name Oscar to the symbolic statuette presented to winners, including actor Bette Davis, academy librarian Margaret Herrick, and columnist Sidney Skolsky. But the origin of the name has never been definitively determined. The gold-plated bronze human figure, which is 34.3 cm (13.5 in) high and weighs 3.9 kg (8.5 lb), was created by American sculptor George Stanley based on sketches made by American motion-picture art director Cedric Gibbons.

Awards are given for best motion picture; foreign-language film; performances by male and female actors in both leading and supporting roles; achievement in direction; screenplays, both original and adapted from previously produced or published material; and scores and songs composed for films. Other award categories include live-action short subject, animated short subject, documentary feature, and documentary short feature. Excellence in technical disciplines is also recognized, including art direction, cinematography, costume design, makeup, film editing, sound and sound effects editing, and visual effects. In addition, special or honorary awards are given for distinguished careers or humanitarian achievement.