OSCARS 2020: South Korean film Parasite beats Hollywood biggies

LOS ANGELES: South Korean film “Parasite” of filmmaker Bong Joon-ho beat Hollywood biggies like “Joker”, “1917” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” to win the best picture Oscar on Sunday night that was given a musical touch by artistes such as Elton John and Eminem. “Parasite” also got the best directing, international feature film and writing (original screenplay) awards. It is the first non-English film to win the top honour. The comedy-drama, which has been a favourite since it claimed the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes film festival, had its India premiere at the International Film Festival of India in November last year.

Bong Joon-ho has become the second director of a non-English film to win the Oscar for best director. Alfonso Cuaron had won for “Roma” in 2018. This year at the 92nd Academy Awards, Bong on Sunday night was honoured for “Parasite”. He was up against directors like Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Todd Phillips (“Joker”) and Sam Mendes (“1917”), reports ‘The Guardian’.

Collecting the awards, South Korean director Bong Joon-ho paid tribute to veteran Hollywood director Martin Scorsese in his speech, saying that when he was young he “carved deep into my heart” a quote by Scorsese: “The most personal is the most creative.” He also thanked Tarantino for championing his work: “Quentin, I love you.”

The movie also won in the international feature film category, defeating other nominees from countries like France and Spain. It was earlier called best foreign language feature.

While collecting his award for best director, he said: “After winning best international feature, I thought I was done for the day. I was ready to relax.”

“Parasite” revolves around one family who cons their way into the employ of another, much wealthier, family. The film’s themes centre around wealth and entitlement, the disappearing middle class and moral relativism in the face of survival.

On Sunday night, the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony saw many more highs.

The Oscars did not have an official host this year too, but it was well opened by Janelle Monae’s musical performance.

Minutes later, former hosts Chris Rock and Steve Martin hit the stage and delivered a stand-up comedy set in which they called out the Academy for not nominating any woman in the best director category. Actress Natalie Portman also weighed in on the issue by wearing a cape featuring names of female directors not nominated for an Oscar this year.

However, women power could be seen on stage. Two on-screen superheroes (Brie Larson and Gal Gadot) and Sigourney Weaver, introduced Irish conductor Eimear Noone — the first woman to conduct at the Academy Awards.

Composer Hildur Gudnadottir scored an important Oscar win for women. She is the first woman to win an Academy Award for best original score in two decades.

Moving forward, President Donald Trump’s recently-concluded impeachment trial was also given a mention at the Hollywood’s biggest night when actor Brad Pitt got on the stage to receive his supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of stuntman Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”.

Taika Waititi, who wrote, directed and co-starred in the anti-fascist story “Jojo Rabbit”, won the best adapted screenplay award and dedicated it “to all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories. We are the original storytellers, and we can make it here”.

Waititi is the first Indigenous filmmaker to win an Oscar.

Talking about immigrants, before announcing the Academy Award for best animated feature film, Indian-American comedian Mindy Kaling said she found solace in animated films as a “shy” young girl from an immigrant family.

Now that she’s older, she recognises that animation is one of the most sophisticated forms of storytelling.

“I can’t wait to introduce those worlds to my daughter now,” Kaling said before announcing “Toy Story 4” as the winner.

As for best animated short, it went to former athlete Matthew A. Cherry for “Hair Love”. It’s the same category that late basketball player Kobe Bryant won in 2018.

If Kaling was a presenter, Indian-American filmmakers Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan competed in documentary short subject category. Their “St. Louis Superman” lost to “Leaning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”.

The Memoriam segment, delivered to Billie Eilish singing the Beatles’ “Yesterday”, featured names including Kobe Bryant, Doris Day, Peter Fonda and Kirk Douglas.

Among other winners, “Ford v Ferrari”, a racing drama, won the best editing award. It won for sound editing too.

“American Factory”, backed by former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, was announced as the winner of the best documentary feature.

Designer Jacqueline Durran’s work in “Little Women” helped her win the best costume design.

Renee Zellweger, who had won an Oscar in 2004 for “Cold Mountain”, collected her best actress trophy for her portrayal of Judy Garland in “Judy”.

Laura Dern, on the other hand, won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role as a divorce lawyer in “Marriage Story”.

Joaquin Phoenix walked home with the best actor Oscar at the 92nd Academy Awards for playing superhero Batman’s nemesis in “Joker”.

Director Spike Lee paid tribute to late basketball star Kobe Bryant on the red carpet at the 2020 Oscars on Sunday night.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared in an Oscar clip showcasing the power of documentary films. Earlier on Sunday, heavy rains here made it difficult for organisers to host the 92nd Academy Awards. But in the end, everything went off smoothly.

WHEN RAIN THREATENED SHOW: Before the start of the show at Dolby Theatre, workers were seen clearing pools of water off the plastic tarp covering the red carpet along Hollywood Boulevard, reports pagesix.com.

A lot of pictures and videos are doing the rounds on Internet where production crews can be seen running around with long poles to push the water off the edges in huge waves.

One can actually also see a bucket at the red carpet to trap falling rainwater.

Sharing an image of the bucket, popular journalist Ryan Parker tweeted: “Fanciest. Rain-bucket. Ever”

In one of the clips, red carpet guests can be heard screaming as the rain leaks through the roof.

Amid the rainy weather, “Pose” star Billy Porter carried a blanket to the Oscars.

Porter captioned his image, where he is seen wound up tightly in the blanket, with the tweet: “It’s raining in LA and it’s cold!!!”

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