The Associated Press’s Sandy Cohen asks the question, “Could ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It’ win an Oscar?” citing the rousing praise from critics who say the film restores Jackson’s reputation as a world-class entertainer.
The movie comes too late in the year to be considered for a documentary Oscar, but the film about the late King of Pop’s preparations for a series of comeback concerts could qualify for other Hollywood honors, including the Academy Award for best picture.
With the best-picture slate expanded to 10 films this year rather than the traditional five, “This Is It” could find itself among the contenders, according to Variety’s executive editor Steven Gaydos.
To qualify, the film must complete a seven-day run in Los Angeles County and filmmakers would need to “submit the proper paperwork,” said Leslie Unger, spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Oscars. The movie could also be considered in other categories such as sound, she said.
Sony, which paid $60 million for the global film rights, plans to keep “This Is It” in theaters for just over two weeks. The studio did not respond to an e-mail from Cohen seeking comment about whether it planned to submit the film in any of the Oscar categories.
