The 97th Academy Awards took place this past Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hosted by comedian and talk show host Conan O’Brien, this year’s Oscars harbored some surprises, major victories, upsets, and highlighted a newfound appreciation for independent film.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the ceremony with a musical performance, a tribute to Wicked and The Wizard of Oz. This was followed by Conan O’Brien’s monologue, which included self-deprecating humor, a fashion bit with Adam Sandler, a purposefully ironic musical number about not wasting time during the show, and a joke about Emilia Pérez actress Karla Sofia Gascón’s resurfaced racist tweets, which had triggered a scandal for the nominated film since January.
Some notable wins included No Other Land, awarded with Best Documentary Feature. The film is about the destruction of the Masafer Yatta in Gaza’s West Bank by Israeli soldiers, directed by both Palestinians and Israelis. The film’s victory – though not unexpected – was impactful, particularly when two of the directors, Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, gave a speech bringing attention to the suffering produced by the ongoing conflict, and how American foreign policy is contributing to it. Despite this, the film has not yet been able to land US distribution.
Best International Feature went to Brazil’s I’m Still Here, a film about the story of Eunice Paiva, who had to cope with her husband’s forced disappearance at the hands of the country’s military dictatorship in the 1970s. This was Brazil’s first win in this category and has been overwhelmingly celebrated in the country.
Coralie Fargeat’s body horror success The Substance, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, won Makeup and Hairstyling. Musical adaptation Wicked nabbed two wins with Production and Costume Design, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two was awarded Best Sound and Best Visual Effects, despite some nomination snubs in major categories. Cinematography and Original Score went to the post-World War II epic The Brutalist, and Adapted Screenplay went to the papal political thriller Conclave. Best Animated Feature went to Flow – an independent Latvian film, beating out major studio films The Wild Robot and Inside Out 2.
The acting awards went mostly in line with precursor ceremonies. Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain, and Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez, which was no surprise. The lead acting categories were more uncertain, as there was a chance Timothée Chalamet could win for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown over academy favorite Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, the award ended up going to the latter. The largest surprise occurred in the Lead Actress category, as Demi Moore – the frontrunner lost to the 25-year-old Mikey Madison, who won for her breakout performance in Sean Baker’s Anora.
Anora was the big winner of the night, prevailing in the Editing, Original Screenplay, Lead Actress, and Director categories, and ultimately being awarded the most important prize of the ceremony – Best Picture. Director Sean Baker is the second person after Walt Disney to win the most Oscars in one night, and the first to win four for a single film. The movie follows the story of Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, which rapidly unravels into chaos. This contemporary film, which represents a continuation of Baker’s interest in marginalized communities, was made for only $6 million.
The night was not absolved of criticism. Viewers noticed how one of the Sound winners from Dune: Part Two was abruptly cut off before he could give his acceptance speech. In contrast, Adrien Brody’s speech went on for almost 6 minutes, making it the longest in Oscars history. The ceremony’s James Bond tribute also attracted some negative discussion, as many considered Bond films lacked relevance this past year for a segment to have been devoted to the franchise.
Special tributes were given to music producer Quincy Jones and actor Gene Hackman, both of whom passed away recently. Many film fans publicly wondered why the Academy did not decide to honor director David Lynch in a similar fashion. Longtime collaborators of Lynch Isabella Rossellini (nominated for Conclave) and Laura Dern were together during the ceremony, the former wearing a blue velvet dress to honor the late filmmaker.
Oscars night attracted much discussion and surprise over the Academy’s decisions both in regards to the ceremony itself as well as the winners, but the awards undeniably honored independent films. The victories of Anora, Flow, and I’m Still Here are encouraging signs for independent filmmakers everywhere. This can perhaps help more independent cinema to be financed, and appreciated by the public, which is not only a positive but a necessity for the industry.
