A series of devastating wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles, resulting in five fatalities and the destruction of over 1,100 structures. The fires have prompted mass evacuations, including among Hollywood celebrities, and led to the widespread cancellation of major entertainment events.
As a consequence, the announcement of Oscar nominations for the 97th Academy Awards, originally scheduled for January 17, has been postponed to January 19, with nomination voting deadlines also extended. However, the ceremony itself is still set to take place on March 2.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer expressed his condolences to those affected, highlighting the fires’ significant impact on the film industry, particularly in Southern California.
Events such as the Critics Choice Awards, along with other pre-Oscar functions like the AFI Awards luncheon and the British Academy of Film and TV Arts Tea Party, have been delayed. Significant industry events, including the Academy’s technical “bake-off,” have been canceled.
Prominent figures in Hollywood, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Anthony Hopkins, have experienced personal losses, with their homes either destroyed or evacuated.
Premieres for films like Better Man and The Last Showgirl have been called off, while the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were released via press release instead of as a live event. Universal Studios Hollywood temporarily closed due to hazardous conditions, and filming for shows such as Ted Lasso and Grey’s Anatomy has been halted.
The wildfires, which began on Tuesday, have severely stretched firefighting resources and water supplies. Schools, including Palisades Charter High School—known for its roles in films like Carrie and Teen Wolf—have been damaged or destroyed. In response to the disaster, President Joe Biden has signed a federal disaster declaration, releasing funds for temporary housing, repairs, and recovery efforts.
Earlier, the announcement of the 15 films shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Oscars has reignited controversy among cinephiles, critics, and filmmakers in India due to Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies not being included in the list.
Following the announcement, strong online criticism of the Film Federation of India (FFI) emerged, led by voices like Hansal Mehta and Ricky Kej, who accused the organization of consistently poor judgment in its Oscar selections. For many, this omission serves as a reflection of deeper issues in how India presents itself on the global cinematic stage.
Laapataa Ladies, a charming satire about two brides swapped in rural India during the 1990s, received acclaim for its clever narrative. However, as Grammy-winning musician Kej bluntly stated, it was “absolutely the wrong choice” for an Oscar campaign.
The disappointment was further intensified by comparisons to Payal Kapadia’s Cannes-winning film All We Imagine As Light (AWIAL), which many believe to be India’s strongest contender for the international feature race. Kapadia’s portrayal of Mumbai’s working class has already garnered multiple accolades, including nominations at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, and its triumph at Cannes, where it won the Grand Prize, has firmly established it as a critical favorite early in the competition.