'Recall the Gold' Ballot: Hollywood Re-Votes on the Oscars

Postal workers are going to hate us. On Oct 6, 2008, EW launched the “Recall the Gold” Project — a massive ballot survey that invites Hollywood to re-vote on past Oscar races. Will Shakespeare in Love still beat Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture? How is the industry feeling about that Roberto Benigni Best Actor win for Life is Beautiful ten years after the fact? Here’s Hollywood’s chance to “alter” or affirm film history.

By mid week, 7,000 ballots will arrive on the desks of elite members of the film industry. Each ballot has been mailed in a white envelope emblazoned with the words “Recall Ballot” in bright red ink. All the voting is anonymous, but each ballot is numbered for security, so that no one is tempted to stuff the ballot box. (And we know they’re totally going to be tempted.) Film industry insiders will vote in six major categories: Best Picture, Directing, Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role and Actress in a Supporting Role. The ballot focuses on five different years: 2003, 1998, 1993, 1988 and 1983 (e.g. 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years ago.) Ballots must be returned in the self-addressed, stamped envelope included with the ballot no later than Nov.1, 2008. EW will publish the results in January 2009.