The 8th Academy Awards were held on March 5, 1936, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by Frank Capra. This was the first year in which the gold statuettes were called "Oscars".
The short-lived category of Best Dance Direction was introduced this year. The DGA successfully lobbied for its elimination three years later.
This was the second and last year that write-in votes were allowed at the Oscars. A Midsummer Night's Dream became the only film to have ever won a write-in Oscar. It won Best Cinematography.
