The Oscars want to be liked. It was a year in which the Hollywood Academy was ready for anything, including modifying the structure of the most famous film awards, awarding eight of them outside the gala, which caused the repudiation of the entire profession. The night will be remembered, however, for the violent outburst of Will Smith, winner of the statuette for best actor in a leading role, who slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, suffering from alopecia. During his acceptance speech, Smith apologized to the Academy and the nominees for slapping Rock: “Denzel has warned me: ‘Be careful in your best moments. It’s when the devil comes for you,” said the actor, awarded for playing Richard Williams, the father of tennis players Serena and Venus Williams, in tears. Williams method.
“Richard Williams was a defender of his family,” Smith continued in his speech, which he delivered to a thick, awkward silence from those in attendance, who still did not fully understand what they had witnessed. Outside the theater, the moment was already the topic of global conversation on social media. “I have been called to protect my people. I know that when we dedicate ourselves to the show you have to put up with insults. And smile”, said the actor on stage, the only one that night who did not go through the press room. Two hours after the broadcast, the Academy published a brief statement stating that it “does not condone violence in any way” and that it had been a night to recognize the winners and movie lovers.
The story between the Smith family and the comedian, who has not commented on the matter, is not new. Rock was in charge of the comedy monologue in 2016, a year after the Oscars were marred by a lack of black nominees. Many African-American artists called for a boycott. Among them Pinket-Smith, who did not attend. “Isn’t she a TV actress? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rhianna’s panties. I wasn’t invited,” Rock said then.
a tarnished message
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The Smith incident dynamited a gala that sought to raise audience figures, evaporated the goodrollism from CODA, which wanted to launch a message of diversity and inclusion after years of criticism from different groups. Outside of that episode, there were few surprises on the night that crowned CODA with the three categories in which it was nominated: best film, adapted screenplay for its director, Sian Heder, and best supporting actor for Troy Kotsur, who became the second deaf winner of an Oscar (after Marlee Matlin in 1986). , who also appears in the film). Kotsur plays a deaf fisherman forced to accept his daughter’s wish to leave the family business to study music. The actor gave one of the most emotional speeches of the night: “My father was the best sign language interpreter in my family, until he had an accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down and prevented him from moving his hands. Dad, I learned a lot from you. You are my hero,” Kotsur said. Jessica Chastain, the favorite for the award for best leading actress, confirmed the bets and won the award for Tammy Faye’s eyes, which left the Spanish Penélope Cruz without a statuette.
The triumph of CODA It has been a silent victory. The 2,600 people present at the Dolby theater raised their hands to wave them in the air, making the applause of the deaf. The film had become a major contender in the closing weeks of awards season, which began with the power of the dog as a favorite, especially after winning the award from the producers’ union a week ago, which usually predicts the most coveted award tonight. Premiered in January of last year at Sundance, it was bought by Apple TV for $25 million. At the time it seemed like an excessive price, but today it seems amortized and raises several degrees in the ladder of the industry to the apple company, which is still seeking to consolidate its position as a flagship studio in Hollywood. The company already has its first award for best picture, something that continues to be denied to Netflix, which has only achieved three awards from 27 nominations.
Champion’s return
The other great favorite was the power of the dog, which had 12 nominations and only got the best direction for Jane Campion. The New Zealander becomes the third filmmaker to win that statuette. Hollywood exalts her almost 30 years after her candidacy for The piano. “It is a lap that leaves me very satisfied because it shows you that you can continue to evolve and learn”, the director assured the press. On the opposite side is Dunes. Canadian director Denis Villenueve’s blockbuster sci-fi flick swept all technical categories with six awards. Among them, the one with the best original soundtrack, which was won by Hans Zimmer (who was not present) against the Spanish Alberto Iglesias. It is the second award for Zimmer since The Lion King in 1994.
It was also a night skits comics. Amy Schumer, one of the three hosts along with Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes, had shown her acid sense of humor. “This year the Academy hired three women because it is cheaper than hiring a man”, “Do you know who appears in the montage of posthumous tributes? The Golden Globes”, were some of her jokes.
There were also tributes to movies like James Bond, a film brand that turns 60; the 50 years of Cabaret with Liza Minelli presenting the award for best film, and half a century of The Godfather. An octogenarian Francis Ford Coppola took the stage escorted by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to thank Mario Puzo, the writer who created the raw material from which the most important mobster movie in cinema history was born. He also had words of thanks for Robert Evans, the legendary producer of his films, with whom he had a strained professional relationship. His words made it clear that some fights in Hollywood can be overcome.
The unknown was if the war in Ukraine was going to become the protagonist of the gala. It hasn’t been. Actress Mila Kunis, of Ukrainian origin, presented the performance of the nominated song Somehow You Do, by Reba McEntire, with a reference to the situation without specifically mentioning Ukraine: “Recently, international events have left us shaken. But when you contemplate the dignity and strength of those who suffer so much devastation, it is impossible not to be moved by their resilience.” Immediately, some banners on the screen called for a minute of silence after McEntire’s performance: “Cinema is a way to show our humanity in times of conflict,” it read. The reality is that millions of families in Ukraine need food, water, medical attention and emergency services. Resources are scarce and we — collectively — can do more. We ask you to support Ukraine in any way you can.” Later, Francis Ford Coppola closed his speech during the tribute for the 50 years of The Godfather with a “Viva Ukraine”, which was joined by Al Pacino. Some guests, such as Jamie Lee Curtis or Paolo Sorrentino, wore blue ties in support of refugees.
devilish rhythm
Will Packer, the producer of the night, had worked to streamline a three-hour ceremony that opened with the most powerful hook: Beyoncé singing live on the courts of Compton, one of the most vibrant black neighborhoods in Los Angeles. . From the boxes of the theater DJ I tried to make the waiting less tedious. It was a very fast-paced event. Eight of the 23 categories were awarded beforehand at a previous gala, recorded and later broadcast during the official ceremony. They were recognizable because the winners did not walk onto the stage, but instead magically appeared on it. His speeches, even in numerous technical awards teams, were reduced to a 60-second montage added to the live show.
Spanish Alberto Mielgo, winner of the Oscar for best animated short for The Windshield Wiper he felt “frivolous to protest about it”, he has confessed about the controversy. The work, with an impressionistic texture and deep subject matter for its brevity, prevailed among the nominees, achieving the only Spanish victory of the night. This category was among the eight that were awarded before the ceremony, while the biggest stars walked the red carpet.
The pace of Hollywood was so unrestrained and relentless that it overwhelmed the contemplative Japanese time. Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, director of Drive My Car, a three-hour film with a profound literary and dramatic meaning that managed to sneak in among the nominees for best film. the filmmaker he had only one respite after winning best international film. The musical group that acted later removed him from the stage after a brief thank you.
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