Diane Weyermann has elected to step down from her position as co-chair of AMPAS’ International Feature Film Executive Committee. The move is due to her professional relationship with a film officially selected for this year’s International Feature Film Oscar race.
The title in question is understood to be Alexander Nanau’s well-received documentary Collective, which was put forth by Romania this month. Weyermann is not personally credited on the film and was not responsible for the financing, but Participant — for which she is head of documentaries — co-acquired the title and is responsible for its release, thus leading her to recuse herself.
In Weyermann’s stead, Susanne Bier will now co-chair the International Feature Film Executive Committee, alongside AMPAS Writers Branch governor Larry Karaszewski. The appointment was made by Academy President David Rubin. Bier was already a Directors Branch governor. As well as having directed the Oscar-winning 2010 feature drama In A Better World, Bier has more recently helmed such works as Netflix’s Bird Box, BBC miniseries The Night Manager and the just-released HBO series The Undoing.
Given the coronavirus-skewed timeline this year, Oscar entries for the International Feature Award are not due until December 1. A shortlist of seven titles will later be selected, and the Executive Committee will determine the remaining three so-called “saves” before the final nominations.