Opinion: Oscars are racist because Hollywood is, too

In just two days, the Hollywood elite will flock toward the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. for the 87th Academy Awards.

Eventually, after numerous forced jokes and awkward hugs on the red carpet, the awards for the best films of 2014 will be given out. And perhaps after it’s all said and done, the producers will pat themselves on the back for putting on a progressive show.

It’s the second year in a row that an openly gay man or woman has hosted, and it’s the fourth year in a row that a film with an African-American lead is nominated for Best Picture. But don’t be fooled by this veneer of inclusivity: Hollywood is still incredibly monochromatic.

According to a study done by UCLA in 2014, “the proportion of female and minority actors, writers, directors and producers in film and TV ranges from just one-twelfth to one-half of their actual percentage population.”

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t watch the awards show — some impressive films make up the list of this year’s nominees. But as you are watching, be aware of just how misleading the demographics within these films are compared to the world in which we actually live.

Around this time of year especially, the Oscars bears the brunt of the blame for this disparity. But to solely indict the Academy Awards is shortsighted because of the intrinsic link between the Academy and the American film industry.

Essentially, the only American film in 2014 that fit the criteria for an Oscar nomination and portrayed anything other than the story of the troubled, white protagonist was “Selma”.

And while a lot of questions have been raised about its apparent “Oscar-snubbing,” the more pertinent question to ask is why “Selma” was the only film in the conversation for an Oscars nomination that broke this mold.

The answer becomes clearer when one considers the list of current American directors who have the most name recognition due to their bodies of work. While the styles of these directors — Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino to name a few — are varied, their gender and race are anything but.

Admittedly, it is completely up to the director to cast a film as he or she sees fit, but filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds should also be given the opportunity to explore complex themes with their own unique perspectives.

At its best, film allows an audience to engage with a director in an extremely intimate, human way. It is for that reason film has the potential to become an influential tool in refuting preconceived notions across race, gender and sexual orientation. But until Hollywood realizes the potential of this notion and acts upon it, be prepared for an awards show that merely reinforces the social barriers that it could deconstruct.