The 93rd Annual Academy Awards for Cinema was held on April 25, 2021. Organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, it was broadcast live from an Art Deco station in Los Angeles. It rewarded films released in 2020, most of which were streamed.
The 2021 edition was not like the previous ones, given the sanitary context, the closing of theaters and the stopping of filming in 2020. No master of ceremonies but a scenography set by Steven Soderbergh for a show delayed by 2 months. Finally, few viewers followed the ceremony (1.9 million, a dizzying drop from about 60% compared to previous years).
After a tribute to the deaths of covi-19 and to caregivers, the Motion Picture and Television Fund and director Tyler Perry received 2 Humanitarian Honorary Oscars for their support to those stricken by the pandemic.
A new feat for 8-year-old Korean actor Alan Kim. Rewarded at the Critics Choice Awards on March 7 for his role in « Minari », he was not nominated for the Oscars. He still stole the show when he arrived with Christina Ho’s film crew.
Grand winner of this edition, « Normaland » by Chloé Zhao with 3 awards: Best film, Best director and Best female lead role by Frances McDormand.
Chloe Zhao is the second woman and the first Asian and Chinese to win the Oscar for best achievement since the inception of the award.
« Normaland » is a feature film. It tells a haunting, meditative drama about a middle-aged widow (Frances McDormand) who lives in a van after losing her factory and her job. The film will be released in France on June 9, 2021. China warmly welcomed this victory and ignores it.
Award-winning French
We also note the presence of 3 French in the awarding of the awards: « The Father » (Florian Zeller), « Colette » (Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard) and « Sound of Metal » (Nicolas Becker).
Films that received 2 awards
Florian Zeller’s « The Father »: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Male Leading Role for Anthony Hopkins.
Absent from the ceremony, Anthony Hopkins becomes at 83, the oldest actor to receive this award. He had already received the award in 1992 for his performance of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.
- « Mank » by Eric Messerschmidt: Best photography and Best setting.
- « Judas and the black Messiah »: Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya and Best Original Song, « Fight for you ».
- « Soul », the latest film from Pixar Studios, Pete Docter and Kemp Powers: Best animated film and Best film music for Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste.
- « Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom » by George C. Wolfe: Best costume creation for Ann Roth and Best hairstyles and makeup for Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal, Jamika Wilson. These last 2 are the first black women to win this award for hairstyle and makeup.
- « Sound of Metal »: Best sound mixing for Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortes and Phillip Bladh, and Best editing for Mikkel E.G. Nielse.
Highlights of the evening
Regina King opened the ceremony with a speech on the difficulties of the cinema world since the health crisis last year. It was also an opportunity to talk about the George Floyd affair and « #Black lives matters », the common thread of the evening. She took the opportunity to joke about some of the participants including Emerald Fennell (Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for « Promising Young Woman »).
Thomas Vitterberg represented the film « Drunk », best international film bringing together Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden. Much emotion in his speech where he spoke, tears in his eyes of the difficulties in making the film, after the death of his daughter.
Kaluuya’s speech was full of humor and hope, as last year’s winner Bong Jun Jo presented his award to Chloe Zhao. He took the opportunity to talk about his point of view on cinema.
A translator accompanied Marlee Martin, the first hearing-impaired Oscar winner. His presence revealed the importance given to his community during the awards ceremony at « Sound of Metal ».
The first South Korean woman to win the Best Supporting Actor award for « Minari », Yoon-Yuh -jung praised Brad Pitt.
Harisson Ford returned to the circumstances of the filming of the film « Blade Runner », in which he participated. We find a similarity with « Soul ot Metal ».
Lil Rel, comedian, actor, writer and producer organized a game of guessing the winning and losing songs of the Oscars. Glenn Close showed his knowledge of hip-hop history by talking about Da Butt, America’s iconic song. His dance performance, an unexpected twerk, surprised the audience, stealing the show from Spike Lee.
FULL WINNERS OF THE OSCARS 2021
- Best film: « Nomadland »
- Best director: Chloé Zhao (« Nomadland »)
- Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins (« The Father »)
- Best Actress: Frances McDormand (« Nomadland »)
- Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya (« Judas and the Black Messiah »)
- Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-Jung Youn in « Minari »
- Best international film: « Drunk » (Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden)
- Best photography: « Mank », Eric Messerschmidt
- Best animated film: « Soul » by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers
- Best Editing: « Sound of Metal », Mikkel E.G. Nielse
- Best Original Song: « Fight for You », (« Judas and the Black Messiah »)
- Best documentary film: « The Wisdom of the Octopus » by James Reed
- Best short fiction film: « Two Distant Strangers » by Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
- Best Film Music: « Soul » Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste
- Best animated short: « If Anything Happens I Love You » by Will McCormack and Michael Govier
- Best Adapted Screenplay: « The Father » by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
- Best sets: « Mank »
- Best visual effects: « Tenet » Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
- Best documentary short: « Colette » by Anthony Giacchino and Alice
- Best Costume Design: « Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom », Ann Roth
- Best makeup and hairstyles: « Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom » Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal, Jamika Wilson
- Best Original Screenplay: « Promising Young Woman », Emerald Fennell
- Best sound mixing: « Sound of Metal » Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
Two humanitarian honorary Oscars were also presented to the Motion Picture and Television Fund and to director Tyler Perry for their support for those affected by the pandemic.
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