The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony will go down in history as one that celebrated inclusivity as never before.
From an all-black producing team being nominated for Best Picture, to Asian origin actors taking home the trophy, to deaf and mute presenter Marlee Matlin — the Oscars this year made space for life in all its diversity.
The awards themselves held little surprise. Chloe Zhao expectedly won the Best Director honour and her film “Nomadland” won the Best Picture award.
Zhao said: “My entire Nomadland company, what a crazy lifetime journey…”
Veteran actor Anthony Hopkins, who portrayed an ageing man battling dementia in The Father”, won the Best Actor award. The octogenarian was not present at the ceremony or on video, and his award was accepted by the Academy on his behalf. Others nominated in the category were the late Chadwick Boseman,Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Steven Yeun and Gary Oldman.
“Nomadland” actress Frances McDormand won Best Actress. She was competing against Viola Davis, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby and Carey Mulligan.
Oscars 2021 were held from two locations in Los Angeles — Union Station and Dolby Theatre. Dolby Theatre has been a venue for Oscars since 2001. However, this year, the live audience capacity was limited to 170 people and the guests were rotating in and out of the ceremony.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” made history by taking the award for Best Hair and Make-up. The winners, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson, became the first Black women to win in the category.
The film also took home the Best Costume Design award, for Ann Roth.
Pixar’s “Soul”, toplined by Jamie Foxx, won Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score honour.
South Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn won the Best Supporting Actress for the film “Minari”. She was called on stage by Hollywood star Brad Pitt.
Last year’s Best Supporting Actress Laura Dern presented the nominees for the Best Supporting Actor, which went to Daniel Kaluuya for “Judas And The Black Messiah”.
While accepting the golden statuette, Kaluuya said: “Thank you god. I can’t be here without guidance and protection.. Thank you mom. Thank you for giving me everything. It is so hard to make a film and to make a film on a man like this. I am going to celebrate life. We are standing and breathing.”
The Danish film “Another Round”, starring Mads Mikkelsen, won Best International Feature Film, while Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet”, which features Indian actress Dimple Kapadia, bagged the Best Visual Effects award.
Actress Reese Witherspoon named “If Anything Happens I Love You” as Best Animated Short Film. “Two Distant Strangers” took home the Best Live Action Short Film award.
David Fincher’s “Mank” took home the honours for Best Production Design and Best Cinematography.
The award for Best Original Screenplay was given to Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman”.
“Colette” bagged the honour for Best Documentary Short Subject. “My Octopus Teacher” received the Best Documentary Feature Oscar while the award for Best Film Editing went to “Sound Of Metal.”
