In the race for the Oscars, Apple has beaten Netflix and the streaming services have beaten the majors: “I Segni del Cuore – Coda” released on Apple TV with a bite after debuting last year at the Sundance Festival, it brought home the most important statuette. coveted, the one for the best film, against “The Power of the Dog” produced by the Los Gatos giant. But it was also the evening of Jane Campion, the third woman in the history of the Oscars to win as a director for that atypical western arrived on the eve of the awards with 12 nominations, winning 1.
It was the revenge on Steven Spielberg, candidate for “West Side Story” that had stolen the prize when she entered the five for “The Piano”. Will Smith stole the show: a direct punch to comedian Chris Rock who made fun of the shaved head of his wife Jada Pinkett (who has been suffering from alopecia for some time). The censorship intervened but those who can read lips took the insult, proving that it was not a planned sketch. The protagonist of “King Richard – A winning choice” then apologized between tears and accepted the Oscar for best actor: “Art imitates life: I look like the crazy father, as they said of Richard Williams, a fierce defender of his family. Love drives you crazy. “
The 94th edition of the Oscars disappointed Italy: Paolo Sorrentino was left out who ran for the best international film with “E ‘Stata la Mano di Dio” and lost against the Japanese “Drive My Car” by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Enrico Casarosa didn’t make it either for the cartoon “Luca” (impossible to beat “Encanto”) and Massimo Cantini Parrini of the costumes of “Cyrano”, beaten by Jenny Beavan of “Crudelia”. Many themes came to the fore: disability in the first place, and then the LGBTQ rights evoked by Jessica Chastain winner (with standing ovation from the whole theater) as best actress for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” in the role of a very popular TV predictor. in the Eighties which, in contrast with the orthodoxy of the religious right in the years of AIDS, had taken the cause of gays to heart.
Theme already anticipated by another historical Oscar: that of Ariana deBose best supporting actress for the part of Anita in “West Side Story”, not only the second Latina after Rita Moreno for the same role in 1962, but also the first person openly LGBTQ to win an acting award. The war in Ukraine found space in a minute of silence and in many blue-yellow ribbons worn by the stars, but the expected connection with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksky did not materialize, against the appeals of stars like Sean Penn who had threatened to melt his two statuettes live if this didn’t happen. “Coda” is the first film released in Sundance to win the most prestigious Oscar. In addition to best film (in cinemas from March 31 in Italy), the film about deaf fishermen from Massachusetts won for best non-original screenplay and for best supporting actor, Troy Kotsur, greeted by applause in sign language, and who in the sign language made the spectators laugh and cry, evoking scenes on the set and the figure of the father, “the best ‘signer'” of his family who had been deprived of the possibility of using his hands in a car accident. Kotsur is the first deaf actor to win an Oscar.
“Belfast” inspired by Kenneth Branagh’s childhood during the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland started in pole position: he settled for the award for best original screenplay in a competitive race. Dune defeated on the technical front: out of 10 nominations, six became statuettes, including the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas won the award for best song with No Time to Die. And for documentaries, the Summer of Soul of the 1969 Harlem festival brought to light by Questlove.
Young Hollywood, from Timothee Chalamet to Kirsten Stewart, dominated the red carpet as the old guard paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of the “Godfather” with Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on stage. In closing another moment of emotion: a very fragile Liza Minelli in a wheelchair presented with Lady Gaga the ten films in the running for the last statuette. 50 years ago the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincent Minnelli was making “Cabaret”, the film that the following year made her win the Oscar. And in her In Memoriam Lina Wertmuller found a place for a memory (as well as many others from William Hurt to Ukrainian director of photography Halina Hutchins killed by mistake by Alec Baldwin on the set of Rust).
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