Academy Invites 395 New Members

Short Film and Feature Animation branch adds 39 new members, with 34 added to the Visual Effects branch; Academy cuts number of new invitees while reaffirming goals to cultivate membership that reflects the diverse film community.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is inviting 395 artists and executives to join the organization; invitees include individuals who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Decisions are based on professional qualifications, with representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority of Academy Aperture 2025.

The 2021 class is 46% women, 39% underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 53% international from 49 countries outside of the United States. There are 89 Oscar nominees, including 25 winners, among the invitees. Eight individuals have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches. These individuals must select one branch upon accepting membership.

To enable steady future growth and to ensure the necessary infrastructure, staff resources and environment to support all Academy members, the number invited to membership was limited to roughly half that of recent years.

The Academy’s Board of Governors voted on branch-specific guidelines to be applied in determining this year’s new membership invitees. Oscar winners and nominees were considered without limitation by applicable branches. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2021.

39 individuals were invited to join the “Short Film and Feature Animation” branch; 34 for “Visual Effects.” A complete list of all 395 artists and executives invited to join the Academy is available here.

Short Films and Feature Animation

Rita del Rosario Basulto – Eclosión, Rain in the Eyes
Ossama Bawardi – The Present, Haneen
Will Becher – A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Jerry Beck – Wicked City, Robot Carnival
John Bryant – The Wild Thornberrys Movie, Rugrats in Paris
Réka Bucsi – Solar Walk, Symphony No. 42
Clara Chan – Over the Moon, Storks
Peilin Chou – Over the Moon, Abominable
Sharon Colman – The Croods, Badgered
Anca Damian – Marona’s Fantastic Tale, Crulic – The Path to Beyond
Philippe Denis – Trolls, Megamind
Travon Free – Two Distant Strangers
Andrew Gent – Isle of Dogs, Frankenweenie
Michael Govier – If Anything Happens I Love You, Space for Rent
Gísli Darri Halldórsson – Yes-People, Kókó the Killer Whale
SungHo Hong – Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs, Sky Blue
Joey Horvitz – Game, Friday Night
Brenden Hubbard – The Helping Hand, Cul-de-Sac
Jeanette Jeanenne – Departures, Trusts & Estates
Sebastian Kapijimpanga – Over the Moon, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
Sara Koppel – Embraces & the Touch of Skin, Seriously Deadly Silence
Christophe Lautrette – The Croods, Bee Movie
Carolina Markowicz – The Orphan (O Órfão), Tatuapé Mahal Tower
Will McCormack – If Anything Happens I Love You, Toy Story 4
Adrien Mérigeau – Genius Loci, Song of the Sea
François Morisset – Bonobo, Sin Cielo
Dana Murray – Soul, Lou
Farah Nabulsi – The Present, Nightmare of Gaza
Erick Oh – Opera, The Dam Keeper
Gennie Rim – Over the Moon, Dear Basketball
Martin Desmond Roe – Two Distant Strangers, Buzkashi Boys
Madeline Sharafian – Burrow, Onward
Tomer Shushan – White Eye, Inside Shells
Lisa Stewart – Turbo, Monsters vs Aliens
Ross Stewart – Wolfwalkers, The Secret of Kells
Erez Tadmor – Sirens, Dear God
Charles Williams – All These Creatures, Home
Nate Wragg – The Croods: A New Age, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
Carlos Zaragoza – The Emoji Movie, Gnomeo & Julie