As president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Janet Yang is tasked with leading the Academy and its robust membership into a promising future while honoring and highlighting its remarkable and inspiring past. Now in her third term, the renowned producer is championing the Academy’s mission to elevate the work of global members and foster meaningful dialogue while creating a more equitable, inclusive cinema community.
When the average person hears “the Academy,” they probably picture one thing: the glamor and celebration that is the Academy Awards®. But the Academy is so much more than those gold statuettes. “It's funny because a lot of people think that all the Academy does is put on the Oscars,” Yang says. “That’s obviously a very important part of our work. But there's a lot going on all the other days of the year.”
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The Academy runs a host of year-round initiatives aimed at building a more robust film community, one that truly represents the global cinema industry. A prime example is the recently launched Academy100. “We are turning 100 years old in 2028, and the industry is changing,” Yang says. “There's so much that we want to do, which requires an injection of new ideas and innovation.” To that end, the Academy100 initiative is a $500 million global diversification and outreach campaign designed to expand the Academy’s worldwide scope, preserving film history, and training the next generation of film artists. The Academy plans to host panels, community gatherings, special events, and educational programs for its members and the public while, beginning in 2027, the Academy Museum will present a series of special exhibitions, film programs, and publications.
Of course, as any great producer knows, making great art requires dedicated, thoughtful, and authentic partners. Longtime Academy partner Rolex remains deeply committed to perpetuating cinematic excellence and linking generations of filmmakers, students, and arts patrons through its Perpetual Arts Initiative. “Having Rolex as a partner of the Academy100 is ideal because it’s all about the transmission of knowledge, education, and globalization of our membership,” Yang says. “It’s wonderful to have another partner that is so aligned with our mission.”
The Academy and Rolex partner in other ways as well. In 2017, Rolex signed on as Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Proud Sponsor of the Oscars®, and Exclusive Sponsor of the Governors Awards, while also serving as Founding Supporter and Official Watch of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The long-standing relationship between the Academy and Rolex is key for the support of artistic and technical excellence in filmmaking.
The Academy is also leading efforts such as the Gold Rising program, which offers unprecedented access to the film industry and the Academy membership for college seniors, recent graduates, and emerging filmmakers. “One of the first things I did as president was to go to the Gold Rising graduation, and the energy in that room could have blown the roof off,” she says. “They were so excited and so hopeful about being able to realize their dreams.”
There are other initiatives, too, such as the Student Academy Awards, Gold Fellowship for Women, and Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. “The idea that we can be so inclusive has really been born out,” Yang says. “Every year we see new generations of filmmakers who are coming into the fold. When you look at the people who have graduated from Gold Rising or won Student Academy Awards or the Nicholl, it's an amazing pool of talent who are now very well-known.”
While they are by no means complete, these diversification efforts are already bearing results.
For the Academy, it’s one successful century nearly complete and the next one about to start. The Academy is in a good place, bolstered by its growing membership and its longtime supporters. Says Yang, “The most important thing is that we've developed this camaraderie with other filmmakers from around the world. That’s one of the most gratifying things because, really, our mission is to create community.”
