The 96th annual Academy Awards took place last night, and while it was a night filled with glitz and glamour, it was also marred by protests and political statements. The biopic Oppenheimer was the big winner of the night, taking home seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Christopher Nolan. However, outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, protesters called for a ceasefire in Gaza, highlighting the ongoing conflict in the region. Inside the auditorium, actors and artists used their wins to call for peace, drawing attention to the war in Ukraine as well.
Oppenheimer, which tells the story of J Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, started the night off strong with Robert Downey Jr winning Best Supporting Actor and Cillian Murphy taking home the Best Actor award. Christopher Nolan, who has been snubbed by the Academy in the past, finally won Best Director for the film. His wife, Emma Thomas, also won Best Picture as the producer of Oppenheimer.
One of the most anticipated categories of the night was Best Actress, and while many believed Lily Gladstone would make history as the first Native American woman to win the award for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon, she was beaten by Emma Stone for her performance in Poor Things. Killers of the Flower Moon, despite receiving 10 nominations, was entirely shut out of the Oscar race.
While the night was supposed to be a celebration of cinema, world events took center stage. Protesters outside the Dolby Theatre called for a ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military offensive. Celebrities on the red carpet wore “Artists4Ceasefire” pins to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis.
The war in Ukraine also received attention, with the documentary 20 Days in Mariupol winning Best Documentary Feature. Filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov used his acceptance speech to call for peace in his homeland, saying he would trade his Oscar for an end to the Russian occupation of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, back in the United States, the political divide was evident. The US Congress is currently struggling to pass aid to Ukraine, with Republicans opposing the funding. The upcoming presidential election also loomed over the night’s events, with Jimmy Kimmel taking shots at Republican Senator Katie Britt and former President Donald Trump.
Despite the political undertones, the Oscars still delivered its usual mix of spectacle and glamour. However, it’s clear that the film industry is not immune to the current political climate and that artists are using their platform to draw attention to global conflicts. As the night came to a close, Jimmy Kimmel read a mean social media post from Donald Trump, reminding the former president that he is currently facing multiple criminal indictments.
