While the Academy Awards are very strict about how they define a score – and an original score at that – we’re much more flexible and are really just interested in which films had the best music. This award is for the film with the best music, score, or soundtrack, which can include lyrical songs and/or a purely instrumental score, and can be original music or music and/or songs repurposed from older music.

A cameo performance is a brief appearance or voice part of a known person in a work of the performing arts, often unnamed or appearing as themselves. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly either appearances in a work in which they hold some special significance (such as actors from an original movie appearing in its remake), or renowned people making uncredited appearances, or are unexpected in that the celebrity is more renowned than the part would require. Short appearances by celebrities, film directors, politicians, journalists and media personalities, athletes, and musicians are common. A crew member of the show or movie playing a minor role can be referred to as a cameo as well, such as Alfred Hitchcock's frequent cameos in the films he directed.

A cameo performance is a brief appearance or voice part of a known person in a work of the performing arts, often unnamed or appearing as themselves. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly either appearances in a work in which they hold some special significance (such as actors from an original movie appearing in its remake), or renowned people making uncredited appearances, or are unexpected in that the celebrity is more renowned than the part would require. Short appearances by celebrities, film directors, politicians, journalists and media personalities, athletes, fashion industry figures, and musicians are common. A crew member of the show or movie playing a minor role can be referred to as a cameo as well, such as Alfred Hitchcock's frequent cameos in the films he directed.

In the wake of the first major party’s female nominee’s Electoral College defeat in 2016 against one of the most openly misogynistic candidates in memory – despite garnering a higher popular vote than any white man ever – 2017 showed the emergence of a new women’s movement. It began with the recording-breaking women’s marches in January and reached a crescendo with the toppling of Hollywood and Beltway titans as women spoke out about long-term, pervasive sexual harassment. In that light, we began showcasing and honoring films that empower women starting with the 2017 awards year, and have continued the tradition ever since.  

Intended to recognize films depicting stories and experiences typically underrepresented in Hollywood, such as stories about and by people of color and other minority groups.