The Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (IIFMA) has welcomed changes to submission rules for the Best International Feature Film category of the Academy Awards which were announced on Friday, but says the process needs to be opened up further.

In a game-changing shake-up of the eligibility rules for the non-English language category, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has expanded the options for submission.

In addition to being submitted by a country or region via an Academy-approved selection committee, a non-English language film will now become eligible for consideration in the category by winning the top prize at qualifying festivals Berlin, Busan, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto or Venice.

The change comes amid years of lobbying from dissident filmmakers and cinema groups who found themselves shut out of the Best International Feature Film category because they were not politically aligned with their countries’ governments and selection committees.

IIFMA, which was set up in the wake of the Woman Life Freedom protests in Iran and gathers exiled Iranian cinema professionals, has been at the forefront of campaigning for a change to the submission rules.

The body pointed to the fact that Iran’s Farabi cinema body, which oversees the country’s submission, was directly controlled by the hardline Islamic Republic regime government, which in turn has suppressed freedom of speech and brutally oppressed filmmakers across its 47 years in power.

“The Independent Iranian Filmmakers Association (IIFMA) is proud to announce a major victory: after roughly four years of sustained advocacy on eligibility and entry rules for the international category, the Academy has announced important changes,” wrote the body.

“These reforms will meaningfully benefit independent filmmakers worldwide, especially those living under autocratic regimes who have previously been blocked from national submissions.”

IIFMA suggested its lobbying for a change, which included formal letters to AMPAS, press releases and panels at Berlin’s European Film Market, had played its part in advancing the conversation and contributed to this outcome.

“This change is not perfect: restricting eligibility to major festival winners remains inequitable for many truly independent makers. Nevertheless, it opens a vital path forward. There is still room for improvement, but this is an important step, and we are very pleased with the progress. We thank the Academy for listening and taking action.”