Moonlight crowned best film in confusion

Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight feature film won an Oscar for the best film, while presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway had previously announced that the trophy was returning to La La Land by Damien Chazelle.

The mistake created a monstrous embarrassment at the West Hollywood Dolby Theater where it was La La Land producers who suddenly announced in the midst of their speeches that there had been a huge misunderstanding.

Embarrassed, Warren Beatty explained having had a second of hesitation after seeing the name of Emma Stone, who had actually won the award for best actress for La La Land , on the cardboard in her hands.

The evening ended with rather disheveled speeches and a host, Jimmy Kimmel, who tried to deride everyone by saying he was responsible and would never come back.

That said, Moonlight won best film awards, best supporting actor (Mahershala Ali) and best screenplay.

Already a recipient of numerous awards, including the Golden Globe for best drama, Barry Jenkins’ work tells three episodes in the life of Chiron, a young black Miami who tries to live his homosexuality in a harsh and merciless environment.

La Land nevertheless dominated the evening with six prizes out of 14 nominations. Among these, the trophy of the best achievement went to Damien Chazelle who, at 32 years, becomes the youngest filmmaker to win this statuette.

Through the story of two young artists, an actress and a pianist, who try to break into their field, La La Land is a love letter to Hollywood.

Other La La Land awards include Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Direction in Photography, Best Artistic Direction, Best Original Music and Best Song ( City of Stars ).

In his acknowledgments, Damien Chazelle greeted his peers, including Quebecer Denis Villeneuve, whose film Arrival left with a trophy (best sound editing) on ​​eight nominations.

“Winning this trophy is due to a crossing of luck and great opportunity,” said Emma Stone. I still have a lot to learn in my job and this man (she says, holding her Oscar) is the symbol of the road I still have to make. ”

The psychological drama Manchester by the Sea by Kenneth Lonergan has also won two major awards, best actor (Casey Affleck) and best original screenplay.

Arrival

In all, seven Quebeckers were in the running tonight for an Oscar. Of the lot, Sylvain Bellemare returned with the Oscar for the best sound editing.

Very smiling, the man did not fail to speak in French and to greet the Québec metropolis in his thanks.

“Hi Montreal! Thanks Denis Villeneuve! Where are you? [He was looking for him in the room] I love you. All we need is love, “he said, his precious statue in hand.

In the past, Sylvain Bellemare has worked on the films Incendies (by Denis Villeneuve), C’est pas moi je le jure and Monsieur Lazhar (by Philippe Falardeau).

A science-fiction work, Arrival proposes an atypical approach of a first contact between humans and extraterrestrial creatures.

With his work Vaysha the blind , the Montrealer Theodore Ushev was finalist in the category of the best animated short. The palm returned to Piper of Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer. It was Byron Howard’s Zootopia , Rich Moore and Clark Spencer, who won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

The winning customer

The customer of the Iranian Asghar Farhadi won the Oscar for best foreign film.

The award is a slap in the face of the Donald Trump administration following the passing of a decree prohibiting citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, from entering the United States.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker ( A Separation ) has also refused, out of respect for the inhabitants of the seven countries concerned, to go to Los Angeles to participate in the evening. “Divide the world between them and us only creates fear,” he wrote in a text read before the guests of the ceremony. The work of filmmakers is precisely to create an empathy between them and these us, an empathy that we need more than ever. ”

There was much talk of difference, mix and openness to the other during the evening. Many presenters and recipients hailed the importance of being inclusive in all spheres of society.

Oscars So White

As soon as the first prizes were awarded, it was felt that last year’s Oscars So White controversy was a thing of the past. Two Afro-American actors, Mahershala Ali ( Moonlight ) and Viola Davis ( Fences ) won the best actor and best supporting actress awards.

Mahershala Ali, 43, also became the first Muslim to win the prestigious golden statuette.

“I want to thank all the professors I’ve had,” said Mr. Ali, as he picked up his trophy for the best supporting actor. They have never stopped telling me how much I have to serve my characters. ”

Mr. Ali also thanked Barry Jenkins and all the members of the cast. “Each of you could have received this trophy,” said the new father of a girl born just four days ago.

The OJ: Made in America film , about the story of former soccer player OJ Simpson, who has had many facets with the law, won the Oscar for Best Documentary.

Filmmaker Ezra Adelman hailed the memory of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman, whose double assassination led to the trial of the former Buffalo Bills star. “I would also like to dedicate this trophy to all the victims of police brutality,” Mr Adelman said in applause.

The Italian documentary Fuocoammare , Golden Bear for the best film at the 2016 Berlinale, was nominated in this category.

The Suicide Squad superhero film team won the Oscar for best hairstyles and make-up, while the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them won the Best Costume Trophy.

The films Lion , Hell or High Water , Hidden Figures , Jackie , Noble Animals are left empty handed.

Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted his first Academy Awards, did not fail to flay President Donald Trump as soon as he entered.

“There are now 225 countries that hate us,” he said about broadcasting the evening around the world.

Kimmel also paid the president’s head while making a connection with the Oscars So White controversy of last year. “Thanks to President Trump. Remember, last year, how the evening was racist. This year, Blacks saved NASA (a reference to Hidden Figures ) and the whites saved the jazz ( La La Land ).

Welcoming the French actress Isabelle Huppert, nominated for the Oscar of the best actress ( Elle ), Mr. Kimmel launched him: “Happy that the Department of internal security has let you in.”

Same kind of joke to Meryl Streep to whom he asked to stand up to “receive an absolutely unmerited burst of applause,” a direct reference to one of President Trump’s many hateful tweets.

“Is your dress signed Ivanka,” he subsequently chained.

More seriously, Kimmel said, “As an American, if we could just have a conversation with someone we disagree with, we could restore America to its grandeur.”

The opening of the evening was all music, courtesy of Justin Timberlake and his choreographers who began their number in the lobby of the Dolby Theater West Hollywood. It was also Timblerlake who introduced Jimmy Kimmel.