The majority of award shows and film festivals have separate awards for “best actor” and “best actress”, but that’s slowly changing. Gender-neutral acting categories are becoming the new normal, and these three organizations recently gave them their seal of approval.
Berlin International Film Festival
This year’s Berlinale was held virtually, but that didn’t stop it from introducing some big changes. The acting awards for best leading and best-supporting performance were introduced, in an attempt to promote “more gender-sensitive awareness in the film industry”.
San Sebastian Film Festival
About a year since Berlinale announced their gender-neutral acting categories, Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival followed suit. According to festival director José Luis Rebordinos, this change “arises from the conviction that gender, a social and political construct, is no longer a criterion that we follow to distinguish between performances”.
Emmy Awards
Unlike the previous two festivals, the Emmy Awards won’t be margining their “best actor” and “best actress” awards into one, but they’re taking a step towards a more gender-neutral approach. Nominees and winners in these categories can opt that their nomination certificate or Emmy statuette carry the term “performer” in place of actor or actress, according to the Television Academy’s recent statement.
