OS ANGELES (AFP) — Movie history was made at the Oscars Sunday as South Korea’s black comedy “Parasite” became the first non-English-language film to win the best picture award, Hollywood’s biggest prize of all.
“Parasite,” about a poor South Korean family infiltrating a wealthy household, won a total of four awards, defying the received wisdom that the Academy would overlook a subtitled Asian movie.
“I thought I was done for the day and ready to relax,” filmmaker Bong Joon-ho said upon winning best director honors, before promising to “drink until next morning.”But a bigger shock was in store as the movie beat frontrunner “1917” to win best picture.
Bong Joon Ho accepts the award for best international feature film for “Parasite,” from South Korea, at the Oscars on Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
“It feels like a very opportune moment in history is happening right now,” producer Kwak Sin-ae told an audience of Tinseltown A-listers, who cheered the film’s wins throughout the night at the Dolby Theater.
“Parasite” also won the Oscar for best international feature, and became the first Asian film to scoop best original screenplay.
“We never write to represent our countries,” Bong said earlier in the night when he took the screenplay award. “But this is (the) very first Oscar to South Korea. Thank you.”
Bong also paid tribute to his childhood hero and fellow nominee Martin Scorsese, drawing a standing ovation for the veteran director of “The Irishman.”
Phoenix and Zellweger win
The pre-Oscars favorite “1917,” Sam Mendes’s innovative and personal World War I movie about two soldiers crossing no-man’s-land, had to settle for best cinematography, visual effects and sound mixing prizes.
Joaquin Phoenix won his first Oscar for his turn in supervillain origin story “Joker,” the film that started the night with the most nominations.
In an emotionally charged speech, the actor railed against injustice and “an egocentric worldview” that leads to environmental destruction, before paying tribute to his actor brother River, who died of a drug overdose in 1993.
“I have been a scoundrel in my life,” admitted Phoenix, thanking Hollywood for not “canceling” him out and urging others to show similar forgiveness.
Joaquin Phoenix, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for “Joker”, left, and Renee Zellweger, winner of the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for “Judy”, pose in the press room at the Oscars on Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Renee Zellweger sealed a remarkable comeback after six years away from the screen by winning best actress for “Judy,” dedicating the award to Hollywood screen legend Judy Garland.
“Judy Garland did not receive this honor in her time. I am certain that this moment is an extension of the celebration of her legacy,” she said in accepting her second Oscar.
Politics reigns
Pitt, who claimed his first acting Academy Award for his supporting turn in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” was one of several winners to strike a political note.
“They told me I only have 45 seconds up here, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week,” he said, referring to US President Donald Trump’s recent impeachment trial.
“American Factory” — the first film from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production house, about a Rust Belt factory reopened by a Chinese billionaire — won best documentary.
Barack Obama tweeted his praise for “a complex, moving story about the very human consequences of wrenching economic change.”
Taika Waititi accepts the award for best adapted screenplay for “Jojo Rabbit” at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Best adapted screenplay went to Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit,” about a young boy corrupted by fascism.
Taika Waititi, who is of Maori origin, said he hoped the win would inspire “all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories.”
Musical tributes
The event’s luxury and glamour contrast with the grief enveloping Los Angeles over the recent deaths of Golden Age film legend Kirk Douglas and Oscar-winning basketball star Kobe Bryant.
Record Grammy-winning singer Billie Eilish sang a moving version of “Yesterday” to accompany the “in memoriam” montage for those Hollywood lost this year, which opened with Bryant and closed with Douglas.
Music was a prominent theme throughout the night, which began with a medley addressing a swirling row over the lack of minorities and female directors on the star-studded nominee list.
“We celebrate all the women who directed phenomenal films and I’m so proud to stand here as a black, queer artist,” singer Janelle Monae said.
Elton John, who won for best original song from “Rocketman,” a film about his life, thanked best original song co-winner Bernie Taupin for being there “when I was screwed up, when I was normal.”
Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir won best original score for her haunting music for “Joker.”
“To the girls, to the women, to the mothers, to the daughters, who hear the music bubbling within, please speak up,” she said. “We need to hear your voices.”
No female directors were nominated this year — a theme referred to by several celebrities.
Natalie Portman arrives at the Oscars on Feb. 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Natalie Portman, a best actress Oscar winner in 2011 for “Black Swan,” literally wore her feelings — she had their names stitched into the Dior cape she wore to the gala.
#MeToo movie “Bombshell,” the true story of sexual harassment at Fox News, won best make-up and hairstyling.
Auto racing film “Ford v Ferrari” bagged two technical prizes, for film editing and sound editing.
The ceremony had no host for a second consecutive time, after last year’s batch of bright guest presenters caused a trend-bucking uplift in TV ratings.
The full list of Oscar winners can be read below.
Best Picture:
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
Lead Actor:
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Lead Actress:
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renee Zellweger, Judy
Supporting Actor:
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Supporting Actress:
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johannson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Director:
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Todd Phillips, Joker
Sam Mendes, 1917
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4
Animated Short:
Dcera, Daria Kashcheeva
Hair Love, Matthew A. Cherry
Kitbull, Rosana Sullivan
Memorable, Bruno Collet
Sister, Siqi Song
Adapted Screenplay:
The Irishman, Steven Zaillian
Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi
Joker, Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
Little Women, Greta Gerwig
The Two Popes, Anthony McCarten
Original Screenplay:
Knives Out, Rian Johnson
Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach
1917, Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino
Parasite, Bong Joon-ho, Jin Won Han
Cinematography:
The Irishman, Rodrigo Prieto
Joker, Lawrence Sher
The Lighthouse, Jarin Blaschke
1917, Roger Deakins
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Robert Richardson
Best Documentary Feature:
American Factory, Julia Rieichert, Steven Bognar
The Cave, Feras Fayyad
The Edge of Democracy, Petra Costa
For Sama, Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts
Honeyland, Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov
Best Documentary Short Subject:
In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone
Life Overtakes Me
St. Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha
Best Live Action Short Film:
Brotherhood, Meryam Joobeur
Nefta Football Club, Yves Piat
The Neighbors’ Window, Marshall Curry
Saria, Bryan Buckley
A Sister, Delphine Girard
Best Foreign Language Film:
Corpus Christi, Jan Komasa
Honeyland, Tamara Kotevska, Ljubo Stefanov
Les Miserables, Ladj Ly
Pain and Glory, Pedro Almodovar
Parasite, Bong Joon Ho
Film Editing:
Ford v Ferrari, Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland
The Irishman, Thelma Schoonmaker
Jojo Rabbit, Tom Eagles
Joker, Jeff Groth
Parasite, Jinmo Yang
Sound Editing:
Ford v Ferrari, Don Sylvester
Joker, Alan Robert Murray
1917, Oliver Tarney, Rachel Tate
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Wylie Stateman
Star Wars: The Rise of SkyWalker, Matthew Wood, David Acord
Sound Mixing:
Ad Astra
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Production Design:
The Irishman, Bob Shaw and Regina Graves
Jojo Rabbit, Ra Vincent and Nora Sopkova
1917, Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh
Parasite, Lee Ha-Jun and Cho Won Woo, Han Ga Ram, and Cho Hee
Original Score:
Joker, Hildur Guðnadóttir
Little Women, Alexandre Desplat
Marriage Story, Randy Newman
1917, Thomas Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, John Williams
Original Song:
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story 4
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen 2
“Stand Up,” Harriet
Makeup and Hair:
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
1917
Costume Design:
The Irishman, Sandy Powell, Christopher Peterson
Jojo Rabbit, Mayes C. Rubeo
Joker, Mark Bridges
Little Women, Jacqueline Durran
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Arianne Phillips
Visual Effects:
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
1917
The Lion King
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
