Russian Film Director Andrei Zvyagintsev Invited to Sit on Oscars Jury

Andrei Zvyagintsev, put on the list of Academy invitees and Oscar jury members as the maker of “Leviathan” and “Yelena”, is joined among others by James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), Morten Tilden (“Imitation Game”), François Ozon (8 Women, Swimming Pool), Paweł Pawlikowski (“Ida,”)  and Edgar Wright (“The World’s End,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”).

“It’s gratifying to see so many extraordinary talents in our industry,” Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said.

“This year we invited a more varying and comprehensive list of directors and cinematographers than ever before, and we can’t wait for them to bring their creativity, ideas and experience to our organization.”

The invited artists and cinema executives will officially join the Academy in September, along with Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Stone.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brings together over 6,000 actors, directors, composers, editors and costume designers each with the right to vote in his or her category.

Andrei Zvyagintsev’s “Leviathan” was nominated for an Oscar in 2015, but the coveted award eventually went to Paweł Pawlikowski and his “Ida”, an art house film that caused a storm in Poland.