Oscar voters should have to prove they've seen 'every single' eligible film, says Carey Mulligan

Addressing the most glaring snubs of this awards season, actor Carey Mulligan says the Academy voters must be made to take a "test" to prove they have seen "every single" eligible film.

The Oscar-winning actor said the voting system for the Academy Awards was "not working" as some of the films that were left out, such as "Hustlers", "Little Women" and "The Farewell", were "indisputably brilliant".

Also, no woman was nominated in the best director Oscar category this year.

"I don't think you can watch those films and not think they deserve recognition. I think they need to be watched. I wonder if the system works in terms of getting sent 100 screeners. Maybe you shouldn't be allowed to vote unless you can prove you've seen every single one. There should be a test. The films that did get left out are indisputably brilliant.

"I'm talking about 'Hustlers', 'Little Women' and 'The Farewell'. I feel like the fact that they are getting made is progress. But it's all baby steps... People simply aren't seeing these films because I think if they did they would be moved to vote for them," Mulligan said.

The 34-year-old actor was speaking at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, reported The Independent.

Actor-singer Jennifer Lopez's performance in Lorene Scafaria-directed "Hustlers", a crime drama about New York strippers who swindle Wall Street traders, and Greta Gerwig for her adaptation of "Little Women" were cases in point, Mulligan said.

"The system doesn't work. For a film like 'Hustlers' and a performance like Jennifer Lopez's, (if it) can't get recognised then something's not working. So you haven't seen it, you can't have seen it. And you can't see that performance and disregard it, and not think it's worthy of recognition.

"And Greta Gerwig, again producing an incredible film and not getting recognition as a director, there's just something that needs fixing but I'm not the smart person to fix it," she said.