AMPAS voter Kieth Merril explains why he refuses to consider Eliza Hittman’s award winning film Never Rarely Sometimes Always (about a Pennsylvanian teenage girl’s journey to New York City to have an abortion) for Oscars.Â
As infuriating as it is I’m glad Merrill is so open about his ignorance. This is the type of person who votes for the Oscars. Is it any wonder why year after year they try their best to avoid films by people of colour, white women, and anything remotely thought provoking or nuanced?Â
The Oscars are great for what they are, a bloated glitzy pageant that gives us a chance to gawk at beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes. But they’re not great arbiters of taste and even as they expand the little circle of whom they deem worthy of awards there’s still a universe of great film that they refuse to watch let alone consider for their club.Â