Chinese-centric "Bao" written and directed by Chinese animator Domee Shi has claimed Best Animated Short at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony, or the Oscars, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Paying homage to the endearing relationship between an ageing and lonely Chinese woman and a sentient baby dumpling, the Disney-Pixar’s animation tells a story pulled from the childhood of Shi, who was born in China and raised in Toronto. She started working at Pixar as an intern in 2011, and now she's the first woman to direct a Pixar short.
Domee Shi (R)'s Bao claimed the Best Animated Short
Best Director:Roma
Director Alfonso Cuarón took home an Oscar for Best Director for his film "Roma", after winning the Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography. Cuarón offers a semi-autobiographical tribute to the women who raised him. He focuses on the family maid amid a period of unrest, both within the family and society at large, in his native Mexico in the 1970s.
Alfonso Cuarón
It is the fourth Oscar for Cuarón and his second win tonight. The film, which was shot in black and white, is Netflix’s first win. It is also the ninth movie from Mexico to be nominated, and the first to win the Oscar for Foreign Language Film, according to the Academy Awards.
Missing out on getting Best Picture marks another failure for the media giant against Hollywood. According to Bloomberg, if Roma had succeeded in getting Best Picture, it would have changed Netflix from a giant in Silicon Valley to a Hollywood-insider. To turn the digital movie into a solid contender for the Oscar, Roma was broadcast offline in theaters with a $20 million investment from Netflix in advertising, along with another $20 million for the distribution rights.
Best Picture: Green Book
It is "Green Book" that has capped three awards by taking home the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
The film, which won several awards this season -- including a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay -- came out on top at the Academy Awards. Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Green Book."
Mahershala Ali
Ali is the second African-American actor to win multiple Oscars. He and Mortensen starred in the true story about the relationship between pianist Don Shirley, played by Ali, and the man hired to drive the African-American musician during a tour of the South in the early 1960s. The title refers to the guide that lists what restaurants, hotels and gas stations served black people at the time.
Best Actor and Actress
Rami Malek, who played Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody”, won Best Actor.
Malek is the second actor of Arab descent nominated for an Oscar.
At the same time, Olivia Colman took home the award for Best Actress for her role as Queen Anne in the historical dramedy “The Favourite”.
Besides the Oscar for Best Original Music Score, two Black Panther crew members made Oscar history by becoming the first black winners in their categories. Ruth Carter scooped up Best Costume Design, and Hannah Beachler shared Best Production Design with Jay Hart.
It was an emotional night for Lady Gaga as the singer won an Oscar for "Shallow”, the song from "A Star Is Born," which was Gaga's big acting debut.
The awards this year, almost lined up with predictions from most fans, were criticized for being too “neat”and “stereotypical”. A formula for the “test of Oscars” has been summarized, with technicality and artistry being the basic marks. Movies with themes concerning popular social issues will be granted additional grades and those starring aged actors will get another bonus as the Oscars have been famous for respecting age.
(With input from CNN)