The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Ampas) has launched a fundraising initiative called Academy100 to raise $500m to spend on educational and talent programmes around the world.
Ampas held a press conference in Rome today, co-hosted with Cinecitta Studios, to announce the initiative to broaden its international reach, which has been launched ahead of its 100th anniversary in 2028. It said $100m has already been raised from private sponsors and investors such as Rolex and the Dorchester Collection hotel group.
The money will be spent on activities Ampas already organises in the US, but will involve locations around the world. Ampas president Janet Yang cited “programmes for the preservation of cinema’s legacy, world-class film exhibitions, screenings, publications and educational programmes that inspire and provide opportunities for diverse artists to join our community”.
The Academy’s annual Oscar’s ceremony is one of the activities that will benefit from the funds.
Ampas’s aim is to secure a global future for the organisation, to spread awareness of cinema’s history as well as to discover and foster talents around the world.
This will be also part of the ongoing efforts Ampas is making at diversifying its 11,000 member voting body, 30% of whom are now from countries outside the US.
Yang said: “These efforts at diversifying have resulted in a heightened enthusiasm in foreign films at the Academy Awards. That is why we are doubling down and meeting our members in their own turf, broadening our presence.”
Starting from Rome, the fundraising effort is taking the Ampas leadership around the globe to cities such as Johannesburg, Buenos Aires, Cannes, Kyoto, Lagos, London, Marrakech, Melbourne, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York, Seoul, Toronto and Venice. Many of these cities will be visited during their film festivals.
Ampas CEO Bill Kramer said: “A part of Academy100 is to make sure the Academy can travel the world and be present at panels and festivals. It is designed to inspire emerging filmmakers and find new members. We will bring our programmes, exhibitions, screenings and events to the world.”
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