O que é o Oscar?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Academia de Artes e Ciências Cinematográficas ) is a professional honorary organization comprised of over 6,000 motion picture artists and craftsmen.


The Academy's general goal is the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures. Within that, the Academy fosters cultural, educational and technological cooperation among its members; it provides a forum for various branches of the industry; it represents the viewpoint of its members; and it encourages educational activities between the professional community and the public.


What it does not do is promote economic, labor, or political matters. Organized in May 1927 as a nonprofit corporation, its original 36 members included both production executives and film luminaries. Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was the first president.


The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is among the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremonies in the world. The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held on Thursday, May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood to honor outstanding film achievements of 1927 and 1928. It was hosted by actor Douglas Fairbanks and director William C. DeMille.


AMPAS, a professional honorary organization, maintains a voting membership of 5,830 as of 2007. Actors constitute the largest voting bloc, numbering 1,311 members (22 percent) of the Academy's composition. Votes for Oscars have been tabulated and certified by the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (and its predecessor Price Waterhouse) for the past 72 annual awards ceremonies.