The Oscars should recognize the waterfalls for the first time, announcing a new category of success in the design of waterfalls after many years of the industry passionate campaign.
The best design of waterfalls will be a new category at the 100th Oscar ceremony in 2028, which will recognize the films published in 2027, said Thursday the Academy of Arts and Sciences of the Academy of Films and Sciences.
“Since the first days of cinema, the design of the waterfalls has been an integral part of the production of films,” said the CEO of the Academy, Bill Kramer, and the president, Janet Yang, in a joint press release. “We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and their dedication to reach this important opportunity.”
David Leitch, who directed the 2024 film The Fall Guy, who was himself an ode to the stuntmen, helped lead the new prize. Leitch began his career as a stuntman for stars such as Brad Pitt before moving on to the making of stunt films like John Wick. He and Stuntman became the Cascade Coordinator Chris O’Hara of Stories Unlimited made presentations to the Academy pleading for the addition of a new prize.
“The waterfalls are essential to all the genres of cinema and rooted deep in the history of our industry – revolutionary work of the first pioneers like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, with art inspiring today’s stuntmen, coordinators, artists and choreographers,” Leitch declared in a declaration to the variety.
“It was a long trip for so many of us. Chris O’Hara and I spent years working to give life to this moment, standing on the shoulders of the stuntmen who fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades. We are incredibly grateful. Thank you, Academy. “
The stuntmen have called for their own category for decades, but cascade coordinators – those who plan and choreograph the waterfalls – is a relatively new profession.
Chad Stahelski, who made John Wick 4 and made waterfalls for Keanu Reeves in the matrix, said that there was still work to do.
“The idea of putting an Oscars for the cascade design is great-don’t get me wrong,” he said. “Now, I would like to know who will decide who gets it and who gets the price? It is not like 100 years ago when there was a person who conceived it. It is an effort of collaboration.”
“Waterfalls are a collaborative and complicated department. How are we going to determine who is it?
Some actors also asked that their double double be recognized by the Oscars. Last year, actor Chris Hemsworth told IGN that he was “shocked that it was still a conversation”, calling the stuntmen “the little -known heroes”. Jason Statham called it the “negligent category” of the Oscars, burning “Poncy actors” who were eligible for awards to “stand in front of a fucking green screen that cracks the face claiming to be like if it was … it’s a total injustice. (The substantive artists) are those who have taken care of themselves. ”
The category rules concerning eligibility and the vote for the price of the design of waterfalls will be announced in 2027.
The Academy’s production and technology branch has more than 100 stuntmen among its ranks.
Oscars are late to recognize the excellence of waterfalls: EMMYS have prices for the coordination of waterfalls and the performance of waterfalls, while the Screen Actors Guild prices mean sets of waterfalls on television and cinema.
Oscars also recently added a success in the casting prize, starting with films released in 2025.
Associated Press contributed to this report
