282 films eligible for Oscar race The cast of "The Artist" appears backstage after garnering the Best Picture trophy at the 84th Academy Awards at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Los Angeles on February 26, 2012. BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Two hundred eighty-two feature films are eligible for Hollywood's 2012 Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced. To be eligible for 85th Academy Awards consideration, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County by midnight, Dec. 31, and begin a minimum run of seven consecutive days. Under academy rules, a feature-length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes and must have been exhibited theatrically on 35mm or 70mm film, or in a qualifying digital format. The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced Jan. 10 and the Oscars will be handed out to winners Feb. 24.