Los Angeles fires cancel traditional lunch for Oscar nominees

The Academy that awards the Academy Awards announced on Monday the cancellation of the traditional luncheon held for the nominees, at a time when Los Angeles, which is considered the cradle of the American film industry, is still facing devastating fires.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the Oscar nominees online on January 23.

The traditional lunch scheduled for February 10 in Beverly Hills was cancelled.
“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the devastating losses suffered by so many in our community,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Young.
They added, “The Academy has always been a unifying force in the cinematic field, and we are committed to standing shoulder to shoulder in the face of hardship.”

Celebrity homes

A number of celebrities lost their homes in the fire, including Anthony Hopkins, Mel Gibson, and Billy Crystal.
Hollywood studios and platforms specializing in streaming broadcasts announced the organization of donation campaigns to support relief personnel and contribute to reconstruction.
It was announced that many cinematic events were canceled or postponed, noting that the awards season began recently.

Postponing the celebration

Due to the fires, the Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony, which was scheduled for Sunday, was postponed, while the nominations for the SAG Awards were announced through a simple press release.
As for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, it announced on Monday that it will keep the Academy Awards ceremony scheduled for March 2.
“We are determined to use this opportunity to celebrate our resilient industry,” she said in a statement, noting that she looked forward to “honoring” the people “who helped fight the fires.”

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles “as planned” on February 2, organizers of these music awards said Monday.
They explained that the celebration, which will be held “in close coordination with local authorities,” will aim this year to collect donations to fight forest fires and will honor “the courage and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.”
Also, the prestigious Sundance Independent Film Festival, which will be held next week in Utah (western), will not be postponed.