The Hollywood Foreign Press Association today announced new eligibility guidelines for future Golden Globe Award shows and events, recognizing the diversity of excellence in the world by elevating foreign language films as candidates for its top award. 

Every year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association examines its Golden Globes guidelines, considering new ways to celebrate connections of culture through film, television, and streaming platforms. 

Moving forward, regardless of the next air date of the Golden Globes, both non-English language motion pictures and animated motion pictures will now be eligible for the Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy awards, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements (i.e. release in the Los Angeles area during the relevant eligibility period). 

“As an organization composed of journalists from all backgrounds, the HFPA created the Best Foreign Language category to ensure films with subtitles were getting just as much recognition as English-speaking films in the US market,” said Ali Sar, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. “As we reexamined our guidelines this year and listened to the industry, we decided to adopt new approaches for future shows ensuring these films receive the attention they deserve. Language will no longer be a barrier to recognition as the best.”

Last year, an unprecedented 139 Foreign Language Films were eligible for Golden Globe consideration from 77 countries (of which 37 were directed or co-directed by women). The HFPA regularly hosts several Foreign Language Film screening series and webinars with international filmmakers, with the goal ensuring best in-class film and TV in non-English languages receive just as much recognition as films in English.

The HFPA also continues to work on the transformational reforms announced in May, where it outlined five pillars of change — accountability, membership, inclusion, governance, ethics and transparency — which will guide the organization moving forward. 

The majority of the membership has already completed diversity, equity and inclusion training sessions, and significant strides have already been made in restructuring the organization. These changes include the passing of a revised code of ethical conduct prohibiting the acceptance of gifts and other inducements, the hiring of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) advisors, and establishing a hotline allowing anyone to report an incident or allegation on an anonymous basis to be investigated by an independent firm 

The culmination of further bylaw changes this month will enable the organization to become an example for the industry to follow.

“The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is not only committed to creating a diverse, accountable, and transparent association through our reform plan, but also bringing cultural understanding and proper recognition to all films and art through the Golden Globes,” Sar said.  “We have listened to feedback from our partners around key eligibility changes. These will immediately go into effect, regardless of the next air date of the Golden Globes, demonstrating our commitment to diversity and inclusivity throughout all aspects of our work.” 

A summary of the eligibility changes follows below:

• Allowing non-English language motion pictures to be eligible for the Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy awards if they meet the eligibility requirements for those awards (i.e. release in the Los Angeles area during the relevant eligibility period). 
• Allowing animated motion pictures to be eligible for the Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy awards if they meet the eligibility requirements for those awards (i.e. release in the Los Angeles area during the relevant qualifying period). 
• Renaming “Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language” award to “Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language.” 
• Productions of stage plays, operas, concerts, and other live events recorded on a theatrical stage or other similar venue (i.e. not adapted for production as a motion picture or television program) are now considered documentaries and are not eligible. 
• Refining the definition of foreign television programs (programs produced principally outside the United States) which are eligible only if they are a co-production (both financially and creatively) with a United States partner and defined a “United States partner.” 
• Requiring that all eligible episodes of television series must be a minimum of twenty (20) program minutes. 
• Updating the Golden Globe ballot certifications each member makes to comply with HFPA’s current conflicts disclosure requirements.