<p>A new Oscar for best casting is being introduced by the Academy awards organisers. The award will be given out from the year 2026 onwards. It will be the first new competitive category at the Oscars since Best Animated Feature was added in 2002.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Casting directors have campaigned in recent years to be recognised for their work in a similar manner in which other crafts of filmmaking such as sound, costume, hair and makeup are recognised.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement, Academy bosses said casting directors "play an essential role in filmmaking".</p>

<p>Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang added in the statement, "As the Academy evolves, we are proud to add casting to the disciplines that we recognise and celebrate."</p>

<p>"We congratulate our casting directors branch members on this exciting milestone and for their commitment and diligence throughout this process," they further said.<br />
<br />
The category will only be introduced in 2026 because the Academy plans ceremonies years in advance.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Oscar Awards</strong><br />
<br />
The move comes despite the Academy's efforts to shorten the Oscars ceremony in recent years to keep viewers interested and hooked. Often, the show runs well over its scheduled three hours. At present 23 awards are given out at the Oscars. However, the the most popular awards are only a handful of categories including Best Picture, the acting categories and Best Director.</p>

<p><br />
The Academy did not confirm whether the new casting category would be included in the telecast of the awards show. A decision will likely not be made closer to the 2026 ceremony.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Casting directors are typically among the earliest staff to be involved in any new film project, playing a key role in shaping major Hollywood films. They are instrumental in casting A-list stars who will be the face of a film. They also cast actors for supporting roles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stunt performers have also been campaigning for their own category at the Academy Awards, but so far have not been recognised.</p>

<p>One of the key precursor ceremonies, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, introduced a stunt category in 2007. Last year, it was won by the team who worked on<em> Top Gun: Maverick.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>The Popular Film category at Oscars</strong><br />
<br />
The introduction of the new category has received mostly positive responses, unlike Oscar's previous deliberation around introducing the popular film category back in 2018. The proposed category was termed as a move to recognise films that are box office hits but may not earn nominations in traditional categories. The category- of introduced- would include summer blockbusters and superhero franchises.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
However, the move prompted criticism, as many high-profile industry figures said such a category would dilute the prestige and integrity of the Oscars.<br />
<br />
Earlier this year, the Golden Globes introduced a box office achievement prize, which went to Greta Gerwig's Barbie. The film lost out at some of the major categories at the ceremony.<br />
<br />
<strong>Oscars 2024</strong><br />
<br />
Comedian and TV host Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting the Oscars 2024. The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 10 March. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is leading with 13 nominations this year while Greta Gerwig's Barbie has been nearly sidelined.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A new Oscar for best casting is being introduced by the Academy awards organisers. The award will be given out from the year 2026 onwards. It will be the first new competitive category at the Oscars since Best Animated Feature was added in 2002.

A new Oscar for best casting is being introduced by the Academy awards organisers. The award will be given out from the year 2026 onwards. It will be the first new competitive category at the Oscars since Best Animated Feature was added in 2002. Casting directors have campaigned in recent years to be recognised for their work in a similar manner in which other crafts of filmmaking such as sound, costume, hair and makeup are recognised. In a statement, Academy bosses said casting directors "play an essential role in filmmaking". Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang added in the statement, "As the Academy evolves, we are proud to add casting to the disciplines that we recognise and celebrate." "We congratulate our casting directors branch members on this exciting milestone and for their commitment and diligence throughout this process," they further said. The category will only be introduced in 2026 because the Academy plans ceremonies years in advance. Oscar Awards The move comes despite the Academy's efforts to shorten the Oscars ceremony in recent years to keep viewers interested and hooked. Often, the show runs well over its scheduled three hours. At present 23 awards are given out at the Oscars. However, the the most popular awards are only a handful of categories including Best Picture, the acting categories and Best Director. The Academy did not confirm whether the new casting category would be included in the telecast of the awards show. A decision will likely not be made closer to the 2026 ceremony. Casting directors are typically among the earliest staff to be involved in any new film project, playing a key role in shaping major Hollywood films. They are instrumental in casting A-list stars who will be the face of a film. They also cast actors for supporting roles. Stunt performers have also been campaigning for their own category at the Academy Awards, but so far have not been recognised. One of the key precursor ceremonies, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, introduced a stunt category in 2007. Last year, it was won by the team who worked on Top Gun: Maverick. The Popular Film category at Oscars The introduction of the new category has received mostly positive responses, unlike Oscar's previous deliberation around introducing the popular film category back in 2018. The proposed category was termed as a move to recognise films that are box office hits but may not earn nominations in traditional categories. The category- of introduced- would include summer blockbusters and superhero franchises. However, the move prompted criticism, as many high-profile industry figures said such a category would dilute the prestige and integrity of the Oscars. Earlier this year, the Golden Globes introduced a box office achievement prize, which went to Greta Gerwig's Barbie. The film lost out at some of the major categories at the ceremony. Oscars 2024 Comedian and TV host Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting the Oscars 2024. The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 10 March. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is leading with 13 nominations this year while Greta Gerwig's Barbie has been nearly sidelined.

Oscars introduces a new category for best casting from 2026

<p>AR Rahman may have earned internal laurels for his work in films like <em>127 Hours, Million Dollar Arm </em>and <em>Pele,</em> but the music composer states he got pigeonholed. Rahman won the prestigious Academy Award for his composition in <em>Slumdog Millionaire. </em>Rahman was the first Indian composer to win an Oscar.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Speaking about his directorial debut, <em>Le Musk</em> and how he wanted to experiment with his creative process and new technology, Rahman told Forbes magazine, "As an Indian composer, winning an Oscar and all that stuff, there is a pigeonhole you are put into. ‘Oh Indian stuff, let’s go to AR!’ Even though I have done 1<em>27 Hours, Pele </em>and other stuff but still have the urge… There’s nothing bad with that. I am doing a lot of Indian movies. I love doing Indian movies. I am proud. But I also love to do something that is completely unrelated to India, as a creative expression. To get those is very difficult in Hollywood, all the places are already taken.”</p>

<p><strong>AR Rahman on Rocketry winning the National Award</strong><br />
<br />
AR Rahman has won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and six Indian National Film Awards.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
As the 69th National Awards were announced last week, Rahman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to wish R Madhavan for winning Best Feature Film for his directorial debut <em>Rocketry: The Nambi.&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
AR Rahman wrote, “Congrats Madhavan….I still remember the impact of your movie watching at Cannes ….have to confess now (great timing)… I liked yours better than #Oppenheimer.”&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>Oppenheimer,</em> directed by Christopher Nolan, is set during World War II and follows physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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AR Rahman may have earned internal laurels for his work in films like 127 Hours, Million Dollar Arm and Pele, but the music composer states he got pigeonholed. Rahman won the prestigious Academy Award for his composition in Slumdog Millionaire.

AR Rahman may have earned internal laurels for his work in films like 127 Hours, Million Dollar Arm and Pele, but the music composer states he got pigeonholed. Rahman won the prestigious Academy Award for his composition in Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman was the first Indian composer to win an Oscar. Speaking about his directorial debut, Le Musk and how he wanted to experiment with his creative process and new technology, Rahman told Forbes magazine, "As an Indian composer, winning an Oscar and all that stuff, there is a pigeonhole you are put into. ‘Oh Indian stuff, let’s go to AR!’ Even though I have done 127 Hours, Pele and other stuff but still have the urge… There’s nothing bad with that. I am doing a lot of Indian movies. I love doing Indian movies. I am proud. But I also love to do something that is completely unrelated to India, as a creative expression. To get those is very difficult in Hollywood, all the places are already taken.” AR Rahman on Rocketry winning the National Award AR Rahman has won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and six Indian National Film Awards. As the 69th National Awards were announced last week, Rahman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to wish R Madhavan for winning Best Feature Film for his directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi. AR Rahman wrote, “Congrats Madhavan….I still remember the impact of your movie watching at Cannes ….have to confess now (great timing)… I liked yours better than #Oppenheimer.” Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan, is set during World War II and follows physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

AR Rahman says winning an Oscar put him in a pigeonhole

India has scored 3 nominations at the 95th Oscar Academy Awards. RRR's Naatu Naatu, All That Breathes and The Elephant Whisperers stand a chance to win an Oscar.

Inside South Asia: 3 Indian films get Oscar nominations

<p>Actors Samuel L. Jackson and Danny Glover are among four people who will receive honorary Oscars next year for their contributions to filmmaking and the world, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday.<br />
<br />
The pair are among the next recipients of the academy`s Governors Awards, which will be handed out in a ceremony in January. Other honorees are writer-director Elaine May and Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann.<br />
<br />
The recipients "have had a profound impact on both film and society," Academy President David Rubin said in a statement.<br />
<br />
Jackson, who portrayed Nick Fury in the "Avengers" and other Marvel movies, has appeared in more than 100 films. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a hit man in director Quentin Tarantino`s 1994 drama "Pulp Fiction."<br />
<br />
Ullmann was a frequent collaborator with Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. She appeared in "Persona," "The Passion of Anna," "Cries and Whispers" and other Bergman films. Ullman was nominated for best actress for 1971 film "The Emigrants" and 1976 movie "Face to Face."<br />
<br />
May received Oscar nominations for best adapted screenplay for 1978`s "Heaven Can Wait" and 1999`s "Primary Colors." Earlier in her career, she was part of the comedy duo Nichols and May, which debuted in 1958, with Mike Nichols.<br />
<br />
Glover, star of the "Lethal Weapon" movies, will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his advocacy for justice and human rights. He currently serves as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Actors Samuel L. Jackson and Danny Glover are among four people who will receive honorary Oscars next year for their contributions to filmmaking and the world, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday.

Actors Samuel L. Jackson and Danny Glover are among four people who will receive honorary Oscars next year for their contributions to filmmaking and the world, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday. The pair are among the next recipients of the academy`s Governors Awards, which will be handed out in a ceremony in January. Other honorees are writer-director Elaine May and Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann. The recipients "have had a profound impact on both film and society," Academy President David Rubin said in a statement. Jackson, who portrayed Nick Fury in the "Avengers" and other Marvel movies, has appeared in more than 100 films. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a hit man in director Quentin Tarantino`s 1994 drama "Pulp Fiction." Ullmann was a frequent collaborator with Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. She appeared in "Persona," "The Passion of Anna," "Cries and Whispers" and other Bergman films. Ullman was nominated for best actress for 1971 film "The Emigrants" and 1976 movie "Face to Face." May received Oscar nominations for best adapted screenplay for 1978`s "Heaven Can Wait" and 1999`s "Primary Colors." Earlier in her career, she was part of the comedy duo Nichols and May, which debuted in 1958, with Mike Nichols. Glover, star of the "Lethal Weapon" movies, will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his advocacy for justice and human rights. He currently serves as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.

Samuel L Jackson, Danny Glover to receive honorary Oscars

<p>Oscar awards on Sunday may have been a historic one <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/92nd-academy-awards-showcases-diversity-as-south-koreas-parasite-wins-top-honours-creates-history-279723">Korean film 'Parasite' swept the awards ceremony</a>, but the event saw the lowest TV ratings of all time. ABC- the channel which airs the ceremony every year- recorded 23.6 million viewership- touching an all-time low for Hollywood's biggest night.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The numbers are even lower than in 2018 when it had recorded &nbsp;29.6 million viewership. The numbers may seem big for TV standards- but for Oscars, it certainly is a small number considering the ceremony attracted over 40 million viewers till 6 years back.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Critics point out at several reasons for the show low ratings. The year's biggest blockbuster 'Avengers: Endgame' did not win a single award which was a dampener for many fans. There were also multiple other options available on TV in terms of entertainment and critics felt there were fewer takers for the traditional ceremony.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-the-winners-of-oscar-2020-279727">In Pics: Meet the winners of Oscars 2020</a><br />
<br />
On Sunday night, 'Parasite' made history by becoming the first non-English language film to win the best picture, beating box office favourites like 'Joker' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.'<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-best-actor-oscar-2020-winner-joaquin-phoenix-speaks-about-injustices-of-the-world-in-speech-279782"> Joaquin Phoenix</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-brad-pitts-oscar-speech-was-about-his-kids-tarantino-and-trumps-impeachment-279812">Brad Pitt</a> were among the acting winners.<br />
The show, which ran 3-1/2 hours, was held without a host for a second year and was slammed by reviewers for random moments, inconsistencies and a surprise but puzzling performance by rapper Eminem of a 17-year-old song.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-oscars-2020-winner-the-complete-list-of-winners-for-the-92nd-academy-awards-oscars-2020-279700">Oscars 2020: The complete list of winners for the 92nd Academy Awards</a></strong><br />
<br />
"The 2020 Oscars bellowed out for a ringmaster to harness what soon became a lacklustre circus," wrote Dominic Patten at entertainment website Deadline.<br />
<br />
The New York Times` James Poniewozik called it a "driverless" ceremony, while Variety`s Caroline Framke said it was "frantic" but ultimately saved by the genuine emotion and joy over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-oscars-2020-bong-joon-hos-pays-tribute-to-martin-scorsese-in-his-best-director-winning-speech-279737">'Parasite' win</a>.<br />
<br />
The Los Angeles Times bemoaned the inclusion of music and television stars, saying the telecast "struggled to entertain let alone find relevance in the art form it was honouring."<br />
<br />
There has been a decline in viewership for live events in recent years. Both Emmys and Grammys witnessed a record low viewership this year, but the Oscars ceremony was still the biggest draw of Sunday night on television. Nielsen said the Academy Awards also dominated conversations on social media, producing 20.6 million social interactions on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms, up 16 % from 2019.</p>

<p>The ceremony saw performances by Elton John, Billie Eilish and Jannelle Monae. Steve Martin and Chris Rock opened the show with a monologue and actors like Mark Ruffalo, Rebel Wilson and Rami Malek were presenters at the awards.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(With inputs from Reuters)</p>

<p>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2020-red-carpet-brad-pitt-natalie-portman-billy-porter-pump-up-the-fashion-279675">In Pictures: See all the head-turning appearances at Oscars red carpet.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also, check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-2020-from-ruffles-to-tacky-shimmer-heres-our-worst-dressed-celebs-list-279757">worst dressed celebs at this year's Oscars.&nbsp;</a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/parasite-director-has-arms-full-of-oscar-statues-at-post-show-engraving-279837/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Oscar awards on Sunday may have been a historic one Korean film 'Parasite' swept the awards ceremony, but the event saw the lowest TV ratings of all time. ABC- the channel which airs the ceremony every year- recorded 23.

Oscar awards on Sunday may have been a historic one Korean film 'Parasite' swept the awards ceremony, but the event saw the lowest TV ratings of all time. ABC- the channel which airs the ceremony every year- recorded 23.6 million viewership- touching an all-time low for Hollywood's biggest night. The numbers are even lower than in 2018 when it had recorded 29.6 million viewership. The numbers may seem big for TV standards- but for Oscars, it certainly is a small number considering the ceremony attracted over 40 million viewers till 6 years back. Critics point out at several reasons for the show low ratings. The year's biggest blockbuster 'Avengers: Endgame' did not win a single award which was a dampener for many fans. There were also multiple other options available on TV in terms of entertainment and critics felt there were fewer takers for the traditional ceremony. In Pics: Meet the winners of Oscars 2020 On Sunday night, 'Parasite' made history by becoming the first non-English language film to win the best picture, beating box office favourites like 'Joker' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.' Joaquin Phoenix and Brad Pitt were among the acting winners. The show, which ran 3-1/2 hours, was held without a host for a second year and was slammed by reviewers for random moments, inconsistencies and a surprise but puzzling performance by rapper Eminem of a 17-year-old song. Oscars 2020: The complete list of winners for the 92nd Academy Awards "The 2020 Oscars bellowed out for a ringmaster to harness what soon became a lacklustre circus," wrote Dominic Patten at entertainment website Deadline. The New York Times` James Poniewozik called it a "driverless" ceremony, while Variety`s Caroline Framke said it was "frantic" but ultimately saved by the genuine emotion and joy over the 'Parasite' win. The Los Angeles Times bemoaned the inclusion of music and television stars, saying the telecast "struggled to entertain let alone find relevance in the art form it was honouring." There has been a decline in viewership for live events in recent years. Both Emmys and Grammys witnessed a record low viewership this year, but the Oscars ceremony was still the biggest draw of Sunday night on television. Nielsen said the Academy Awards also dominated conversations on social media, producing 20.6 million social interactions on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms, up 16 % from 2019. The ceremony saw performances by Elton John, Billie Eilish and Jannelle Monae. Steve Martin and Chris Rock opened the show with a monologue and actors like Mark Ruffalo, Rebel Wilson and Rami Malek were presenters at the awards. (With inputs from Reuters) In Pictures: See all the head-turning appearances at Oscars red carpet. Also, check out the worst dressed celebs at this year's Oscars.

Oscars witnesses record-low TV ratings, ceremony termed as 'driverless and inconsistent'

'Parasite' director Bong Joon Ho had his arms full of Oscar statues at a post-show celebration, after his social satire won the Oscar for best picture on Sunday (February 9), making history as the first film not in the English language to win the movie industry's highest honor.

'Parasite' director has arms full of Oscar statues at post-show engraving

<p>An Oscar award is probably the nearest thing to a 'Holy Grail' for cinema.</p>

<p>But, did you know why an award given by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts &amp; Sciences is called an Oscar?</p>

<p>I'm asking only because I didn't know it for a long time. And found out recently enough to be embarrassed about it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;An official who worked there thought the golden trophy looked like her Uncle Oscar.</p>

<p>That's all it took. And now it gets called that more than 'The Academy Award'.</p>

<p>In 2013, the Academy Awards were officially rebranded as The Oscars.</p>

<p>It is a fickle world I tell you. Some things stick just like that. Forever. And some things just don't. No matter what you do.</p>

<p>Don't ever expect to read too much into why things happen.</p>

<p>If you're wondering why I am on this seemingly meaningless rant. I'd say I have my reasons.</p>

<p>But then it's purely up to you to give in to believing it. Just like watching movies. The film has its own reasons to be made. It's whether you are able to suspend disbelief while watching it or not.</p>

<p>For those still interested and reading.</p>

<p>I'm ranting because I find it unfair to reduce a good year of many very good films and a few great ones to just the big winners on the Oscar night.</p>

<p>Oscars are the finale of the awards season. Not all of it. I don't think even Oscar nominees that don't end up winning an award get their due.</p>

<p>It's always about the films that win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Extend that to Best Supporting Actor and Actress at best.</p>

<p>That's it. An inordinately less number of films soak up all the attention.</p>

<p>And God forbid, if there's a year of one movie sweeping Oscars across categories. Literally everything that got nominated along with 'Titanic' sank.</p>

<p>Except that those kind of big sweeps are usually unquestioned. 11 Oscars. The only others are Ben-Hur and 'The Lord Of the Rings: The Return of The King'. With the latter being the only film to win everything it was nominated for.</p>

<p>But otherwise. The debate is always about whether these films were worth the jury creating instant global sensations out of them.</p>

<p>The common refrain invariably is, aren't all Oscar winners over-rated?</p>

<p>Well yes. Sometimes. Okay, quite a few times. But one thing you can be certain about. All the nominees are at the least, good films. At most, all-time classics.</p>

<p>And then there are films that were not even nominated for a single Oscar. And yet have done the rounds in the awards circuit this season. They even boast of box-office success or being released on Netflix. Films that have been watched and appreciated. And also have high rotten tomatoes score to boot.</p>

<p>I feel for them. Some of them make for great cult films.</p>

<p>Like this year's 'Dolemite Is My Name'. One of my personal favourites that made me laugh my guts out.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Dolemite Is My Name " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8ccb79-a85a-4fb8-9611-984b1fc16259" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dolemite.jpg" /></p>

<p>Eddie Murphy in a biopic about a 1970s stand up comedian who made cult movies from the blaxploitation era. And is referred to as the godfather of rap.</p>

<p>Eddie was even nominated for the Best Actor Golden Globe in the Comedy/Musical category. But not at the Oscars.</p>

<p>A film made with great love and affection to its subject. 'Dolemite is My Name' is one of those movies where it feels like everyone involved had a ball working on it.</p>

<p>Most importantly for us, it's produced by and released on Netflix.</p>

<p>Then there are other films that even make for great family viewing.</p>

<p>Like this year's 'The Farwell'. A beautiful tale of a Chinese family uniting to say their last goodbye to the grandmother who is about to pass away. Except that they don't want her to know about it. And so they pretend that they've all come home together for a wedding.<br />
<br />
<img alt="The Farewell" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bbe95ff4-755c-48ed-baeb-0a465b3a1306" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/farewell.jpg" /></p>

<p>This heartwarming tear-jerker is based on its woman director Lulu Wang's life experiences.</p>

<p>Lead star Awkwafina even won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical. And the film was a box office hit in America.</p>

<p>But both she and the film are a no show at the Oscars.</p>

<p>In fact, some of the non-nominated films can surprise you with things that you wouldn't have ever thought of.</p>

<p>Like comic legend Adam Sandler as the leading man in a seriously tense thriller with dark unsettling undertones.</p>

<p>Here's an actor whose name itself screams comedy, experimenting in the truest sense. And pulling it off. And ending up as one of the most under-rated performances. I feel for him. He was in the running for a Best Actor nomination.</p>

<p>'Uncut Gems' by Safdie brothers is about a charismatic Jewish-American diamond district jeweller, a gambling addict, navigating shady deals and dire consequences.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Uncut Gems" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e2bfe4ba-c0ee-4cba-bfa6-97c7a2fd39c1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/uncutgems.jpg" /></p>

<p>And it, unfortunately, becomes the almost undiscovered gem.</p>

<p>So let all the debates rage on about the winners.</p>

<p>The real joy is in watching these films that I'd like to call - The Dark Knights of the Oscars.</p>

<p>And then, of course, showing off how you've picked out the truly deserving ones. But please don't. I do not endorse that type of behaviour.</p>

<p>Watch them because they are so good, that they can take the snubbing from the Oscars. And still, make movie history of their own.</p>

<p>They exist in the shadows to show the world what light is.<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;</em></p>


An Oscar award is probably the nearest thing to a 'Holy Grail' for cinema. But, did you know why an award given by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is called an Oscar?

An Oscar award is probably the nearest thing to a 'Holy Grail' for cinema. But, did you know why an award given by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is called an Oscar? I'm asking only because I didn't know it for a long time. And found out recently enough to be embarrassed about it. An official who worked there thought the golden trophy looked like her Uncle Oscar. That's all it took. And now it gets called that more than 'The Academy Award'. In 2013, the Academy Awards were officially rebranded as The Oscars. It is a fickle world I tell you. Some things stick just like that. Forever. And some things just don't. No matter what you do. Don't ever expect to read too much into why things happen. If you're wondering why I am on this seemingly meaningless rant. I'd say I have my reasons. But then it's purely up to you to give in to believing it. Just like watching movies. The film has its own reasons to be made. It's whether you are able to suspend disbelief while watching it or not. For those still interested and reading. I'm ranting because I find it unfair to reduce a good year of many very good films and a few great ones to just the big winners on the Oscar night. Oscars are the finale of the awards season. Not all of it. I don't think even Oscar nominees that don't end up winning an award get their due. It's always about the films that win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. Extend that to Best Supporting Actor and Actress at best. That's it. An inordinately less number of films soak up all the attention. And God forbid, if there's a year of one movie sweeping Oscars across categories. Literally everything that got nominated along with 'Titanic' sank. Except that those kind of big sweeps are usually unquestioned. 11 Oscars. The only others are Ben-Hur and 'The Lord Of the Rings: The Return of The King'. With the latter being the only film to win everything it was nominated for. But otherwise. The debate is always about whether these films were worth the jury creating instant global sensations out of them. The common refrain invariably is, aren't all Oscar winners over-rated? Well yes. Sometimes. Okay, quite a few times. But one thing you can be certain about. All the nominees are at the least, good films. At most, all-time classics. And then there are films that were not even nominated for a single Oscar. And yet have done the rounds in the awards circuit this season. They even boast of box-office success or being released on Netflix. Films that have been watched and appreciated. And also have high rotten tomatoes score to boot. I feel for them. Some of them make for great cult films. Like this year's 'Dolemite Is My Name'. One of my personal favourites that made me laugh my guts out. Eddie Murphy in a biopic about a 1970s stand up comedian who made cult movies from the blaxploitation era. And is referred to as the godfather of rap. Eddie was even nominated for the Best Actor Golden Globe in the Comedy/Musical category. But not at the Oscars. A film made with great love and affection to its subject. 'Dolemite is My Name' is one of those movies where it feels like everyone involved had a ball working on it. Most importantly for us, it's produced by and released on Netflix. Then there are other films that even make for great family viewing. Like this year's 'The Farwell'. A beautiful tale of a Chinese family uniting to say their last goodbye to the grandmother who is about to pass away. Except that they don't want her to know about it. And so they pretend that they've all come home together for a wedding. This heartwarming tear-jerker is based on its woman director Lulu Wang's life experiences. Lead star Awkwafina even won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical. And the film was a box office hit in America. But both she and the film are a no show at the Oscars. In fact, some of the non-nominated films can surprise you with things that you wouldn't have ever thought of. Like comic legend Adam Sandler as the leading man in a seriously tense thriller with dark unsettling undertones. Here's an actor whose name itself screams comedy, experimenting in the truest sense. And pulling it off. And ending up as one of the most under-rated performances. I feel for him. He was in the running for a Best Actor nomination. 'Uncut Gems' by Safdie brothers is about a charismatic Jewish-American diamond district jeweller, a gambling addict, navigating shady deals and dire consequences. And it, unfortunately, becomes the almost undiscovered gem. So let all the debates rage on about the winners. The real joy is in watching these films that I'd like to call - The Dark Knights of the Oscars. And then, of course, showing off how you've picked out the truly deserving ones. But please don't. I do not endorse that type of behaviour. Watch them because they are so good, that they can take the snubbing from the Oscars. And still, make movie history of their own. They exist in the shadows to show the world what light is. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Oscars 2020: It's not always about the winners

<p>Filmmaker Spike Lee has found his next project and is all set to direct 'Prince of Cats'.</p>

<p>Lee who last directed the Oscar-nominated 2018 film 'BlacKkKlansman'&nbsp;will helm the upcoming feature adapted from a graphic novel written and illustrated by Ron Wimberly.<br />
<br />
Along with directing, the filmmaker will also be rewriting the script with Wimberly, according to the news agency. The forthcoming adaptation is explained to be set in the 80s and is a hip-hop take on Shakespeare's famous book 'Romeo &amp; Juliet'.<br />
<br />
The tragic love story will be shown through the vantage of Tybalt, Juliet's angry and duel-loving cousin. Centering&nbsp;on Tybalt and his Capulet brothers, Lee's directorial will see them navigating the Da People's Republic of Brooklyn, where underground sword duelling including katanas with the rival Montagues blossoms into a vibrant world.<br />
<br />
Moreover, this vibrant world is comprised of some hip-hop requisites like DJing, emceeing, breakdancing and graffiti. 'Prince of Cats'&nbsp;will be produced by Janet and Kate Zucker of Zucker Productions with Legendary's Jon Silk.<br />
<br />
Originally, the 'Knives Out'&nbsp;star Lakeith Stanfield was slated to star but he is no longer a part of the project.</p>

<p>Some of Lee's other work credits include 'Malcolm X', 'Inside Man', 'Do the Right Thing', '25 Hour', 'Miracle at St. Anna'&nbsp;among others.</p>


Filmmaker Spike Lee has found his next project and is all set to direct 'Prince of Cats'. Lee who last directed the Oscar-nominated 2018 film 'BlacKkKlansman' will helm the upcoming feature adapted from a graphic novel written and illustrated by Ron Wimberly.

Filmmaker Spike Lee has found his next project and is all set to direct 'Prince of Cats'. Lee who last directed the Oscar-nominated 2018 film 'BlacKkKlansman' will helm the upcoming feature adapted from a graphic novel written and illustrated by Ron Wimberly. Along with directing, the filmmaker will also be rewriting the script with Wimberly, according to the news agency. The forthcoming adaptation is explained to be set in the 80s and is a hip-hop take on Shakespeare's famous book 'Romeo & Juliet'. The tragic love story will be shown through the vantage of Tybalt, Juliet's angry and duel-loving cousin. Centering on Tybalt and his Capulet brothers, Lee's directorial will see them navigating the Da People's Republic of Brooklyn, where underground sword duelling including katanas with the rival Montagues blossoms into a vibrant world. Moreover, this vibrant world is comprised of some hip-hop requisites like DJing, emceeing, breakdancing and graffiti. 'Prince of Cats' will be produced by Janet and Kate Zucker of Zucker Productions with Legendary's Jon Silk. Originally, the 'Knives Out' star Lakeith Stanfield was slated to star but he is no longer a part of the project. Some of Lee's other work credits include 'Malcolm X', 'Inside Man', 'Do the Right Thing', '25 Hour', 'Miracle at St. Anna' among others.

'BlacKkKlansman's director Spike Lee to direct hip-hop adaptation of 'Romeo & Juliet'

<p>Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Gully Boy', India's official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, walked home with the best film from India award in the regional finals at the Asian Academy Creative Awards ceremony.<br />
<br />
Farhan Akhtar expressed happiness over the victory and congratulated the entire team in a tweet. "Gully Boy wins the best film from India in the regional finals of the Asian Academy Creative Awards. Congratulations team," he wrote.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GullyBoy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GullyBoy</a> wins best film from India in the regional finals of the Asian Academy Creative Awards. 😊👊🏼Congratulations team. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZoyaAkhtar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZoyaAkhtar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ritesh_sid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ritesh_sid</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kagtireema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kagtireema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RanveerOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RanveerOfficial</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aliaa08?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aliaa08</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AsianAcademyCr1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AsianAcademyCr1</a></p>
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) <a href="https://twitter.com/FarOutAkhtar/status/1184769800234389505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>The film draws inspiration from the lives of Mumbai street rappers Vivian Fernandes aka Divine and Naved Shaikh aka Naezy and revolves around the underground rap movement in India. In the flick, Ranveer and Siddhant Chaturvedi play budding street rappers Murad and MC Sher from the slums of Mumbai, while Alia essays the role of Safeena, an aspiring medical student in love with Murad.</p>

<p>'Gully Boy'&nbsp;also starred Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vijay Raaz in pivotal roles. Apart from the Zoya Akhtar-directorial film, 'Delhi Crime',&nbsp;also bagged several awards in various categories.<br />
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Actor Shefali Shah won Best Actor in a leading role award followed by Richie Mehta for Best Direction and Best Original Screenplay, Beverley Mills for Best Editing and Best Original Programme by a streaming service.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So so proud of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DelhiCrime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DelhiCrime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_AdilHussain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_AdilHussain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RasikaDugal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RasikaDugal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ActorJaya?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ActorJaya</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Yashaswini__?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Yashaswini__</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rajeshtailang?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajeshtailang</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KaplanAaron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KaplanAaron</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/florenc85935905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@florenc85935905</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NetflixIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NetflixIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AsianAcademyCr1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AsianAcademyCr1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RichieMehta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RichieMehta</a><a href="https://twitter.com/TulseaTalent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TulseaTalent</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsianAcademyCreativeAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsianAcademyCreativeAwards</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Awards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Awards</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Actor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Actor</a> <a href="https://t.co/dDOeHS4PTf">pic.twitter.com/dDOeHS4PTf</a></p>
— Shefali Shah (@ShefaliShah_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShefaliShah_/status/1184724177439248384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Shefali shared the good news with a list of the winners."So so proud of #DelhiCrime," she tweeted.<br />
<br />
The Karavan Production series is based on the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case that took place in the neighborhood of Munirka, in South Delhi. The series follows the story in the aftermath of the gang rape, where Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Vartika Chaturvedi (Shefali Shah) is tasked to find the culprits, responsible for the assaults and death of the female victim.</p>


Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Gully Boy', India's official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, walked home with the best film from India award in the regional finals at the Asian Academy Creative Awards ceremony.

Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Gully Boy', India's official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, walked home with the best film from India award in the regional finals at the Asian Academy Creative Awards ceremony. Farhan Akhtar expressed happiness over the victory and congratulated the entire team in a tweet. "Gully Boy wins the best film from India in the regional finals of the Asian Academy Creative Awards. Congratulations team," he wrote. #GullyBoy wins best film from India in the regional finals of the Asian Academy Creative Awards. 😊👊🏼Congratulations team. #ZoyaAkhtar @ritesh_sid @kagtireema @RanveerOfficial @aliaa08 @AsianAcademyCr1 — Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) October 17, 2019 × The film draws inspiration from the lives of Mumbai street rappers Vivian Fernandes aka Divine and Naved Shaikh aka Naezy and revolves around the underground rap movement in India. In the flick, Ranveer and Siddhant Chaturvedi play budding street rappers Murad and MC Sher from the slums of Mumbai, while Alia essays the role of Safeena, an aspiring medical student in love with Murad. 'Gully Boy' also starred Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vijay Raaz in pivotal roles. Apart from the Zoya Akhtar-directorial film, 'Delhi Crime', also bagged several awards in various categories. Actor Shefali Shah won Best Actor in a leading role award followed by Richie Mehta for Best Direction and Best Original Screenplay, Beverley Mills for Best Editing and Best Original Programme by a streaming service. So so proud of #DelhiCrime @_AdilHussain @RasikaDugal @ActorJaya @Yashaswini__ @rajeshtailang @KaplanAaron @florenc85935905 @NetflixIndia @AsianAcademyCr1 @RichieMehta@TulseaTalent#AsianAcademyCreativeAwards #Awards #Actor pic.twitter.com/dDOeHS4PTf — Shefali Shah (@ShefaliShah_) October 17, 2019 × Shefali shared the good news with a list of the winners."So so proud of #DelhiCrime," she tweeted. The Karavan Production series is based on the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case that took place in the neighborhood of Munirka, in South Delhi. The series follows the story in the aftermath of the gang rape, where Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Vartika Chaturvedi (Shefali Shah) is tasked to find the culprits, responsible for the assaults and death of the female victim.

'Gully Boy', 'Delhi Crime' win big at Asian Academy Creative Awards

<p>As soon as Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Gully Boy'&nbsp;gets selected as India's official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, wishes from a lot of people from the Bollywood fraternity poured in for the entire team for the feat.<br />
<br />
Expressing happiness over the film's selection in the Oscars 2020, filmmaker Karan Johar beamed with joy and tweeted, "My absolute favourite film of the year is the official Indian entry for the OSCARS!!!! #GullyBoy all the way! Zoya Akhtar is my favourite Indian filmmaker! Well done boys @FarOutAkhtar @ritesh_sid get the gold statue home!!! So excited !! Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and the team!".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My absolute favourite film of the year is the official Indian entry for the OSCARS!!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GullyBoy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GullyBoy</a> all the way! Zoya Akhtar is my favourite Indian filmmaker! Well done boys <a href="https://twitter.com/FarOutAkhtar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FarOutAkhtar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ritesh_sid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ritesh_sid</a> get the gold statue home!!! So excited !! <a href="https://twitter.com/aliaa08?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aliaa08</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RanveerOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RanveerOfficial</a> and the team!</p>
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) <a href="https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/1175395615800549378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">21 सितंबर 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Elated by the news, actor Anil Kapoor congratulated the entire team on his Instagram story. "Congratulations Zoya Akhtar and team Gully Boy. This is just incredible!!" he wrote.<br />
<br />
"This is so awesome!!! Congratulations team Gully Boy. Go get that Oscar," wrote Dia Mirza on her Instagram story while expressing excitement over the announcement.<br />
<br />
Swara Bhaskar too congratulated the team while reposting the tweet of Farhan Akhtar. "Wooooohoooooo!!! Congratulations to Team #GullyBoy," she wrote along with several whistling emojis.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wooooohoooooo!!! Congratulations to Team <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GullyBoy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GullyBoy</a> 🤩🤩🤩🥳🥳🥳🥳 <a href="https://t.co/vEdG3TmV7l">https://t.co/vEdG3TmV7l</a></p>
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReallySwara/status/1175476860873928709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">21 सितंबर 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another filmmaker Shashank Khaitan who is known for directing films like 'Humpty Sharma ki Dulhaniya',&nbsp;'Dhadak'&nbsp;and many more, considered the film as the right choice for the Oscars. "Wow wow wow... absolutely the right choice... #apnaoscaraayega ... all the best team #GullyBoy," he wrote while reposting the tweet by Ranveer.<br />
<br />
'The film apart from the main leads also featured Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vijay Raaz in pivotal roles.<br />
<br />
The story of the flick revolves around Murad (Ranveer), an underdog, who struggles to convey his views on social issues and life in Dharavi through rapping.<br />
<br />
His life changes drastically when he meets a local rapper, Shrikant alias MC Sher.<br />
<br />
The film has received a number of accolades including the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, South Korea; and Best Film at the Indian Festival of Melbourne in August this year.&nbsp;</p>


As soon as Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Gully Boy' gets selected as India's official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, wishes from a lot of people from the Bollywood fraternity poured in for the entire team for the feat.

As soon as Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer 'Gully Boy' gets selected as India's official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, wishes from a lot of people from the Bollywood fraternity poured in for the entire team for the feat. Expressing happiness over the film's selection in the Oscars 2020, filmmaker Karan Johar beamed with joy and tweeted, "My absolute favourite film of the year is the official Indian entry for the OSCARS!!!! #GullyBoy all the way! Zoya Akhtar is my favourite Indian filmmaker! Well done boys @FarOutAkhtar @ritesh_sid get the gold statue home!!! So excited !! Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and the team!". My absolute favourite film of the year is the official Indian entry for the OSCARS!!!! #GullyBoy all the way! Zoya Akhtar is my favourite Indian filmmaker! Well done boys @FarOutAkhtar @ritesh_sid get the gold statue home!!! So excited !! @aliaa08 @RanveerOfficial and the team! — Karan Johar (@karanjohar) 21 सितंबर 2019 × Elated by the news, actor Anil Kapoor congratulated the entire team on his Instagram story. "Congratulations Zoya Akhtar and team Gully Boy. This is just incredible!!" he wrote. "This is so awesome!!! Congratulations team Gully Boy. Go get that Oscar," wrote Dia Mirza on her Instagram story while expressing excitement over the announcement. Swara Bhaskar too congratulated the team while reposting the tweet of Farhan Akhtar. "Wooooohoooooo!!! Congratulations to Team #GullyBoy," she wrote along with several whistling emojis. Wooooohoooooo!!! Congratulations to Team #GullyBoy 🤩🤩🤩🥳🥳🥳🥳 https://t.co/vEdG3TmV7l — Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) 21 सितंबर 2019 × Another filmmaker Shashank Khaitan who is known for directing films like 'Humpty Sharma ki Dulhaniya', 'Dhadak' and many more, considered the film as the right choice for the Oscars. "Wow wow wow... absolutely the right choice... #apnaoscaraayega ... all the best team #GullyBoy," he wrote while reposting the tweet by Ranveer. 'The film apart from the main leads also featured Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vijay Raaz in pivotal roles. The story of the flick revolves around Murad (Ranveer), an underdog, who struggles to convey his views on social issues and life in Dharavi through rapping. His life changes drastically when he meets a local rapper, Shrikant alias MC Sher. The film has received a number of accolades including the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, South Korea; and Best Film at the Indian Festival of Melbourne in August this year.

Karan Johar, Anil Kapoor & others congratulate 'Gully Boy' team for India's official Oscars entry

<p>The documentary titled 'Moti Bagh'&nbsp;based on the struggling life of a farmer in a remote village in the Himalayas has been nominated for the Oscars.<br />
<br />
Director Nirmal Chander Dandriyal who hails from Uttrakhand and wanted to give back to the people of the state throws light on the 60 minutes film and its protagonist Vidyadutta.<br />
<br />
"The story is about an 83-year-old farmer who considered farming as a passion not as hard labour. So I thought that the story of a common man who can get missed by any person should be told on a larger platform. We see so many films being made on prominent personalities, but there are certain people whose contribution the country gets unnoticed. So through this film, I have tried to portray the activism, poetry, and the passion of my uncle Vidyadutta ji for his art and many more which I am sure will be liked by all," he said.<br />
<br />
The director, who was recently praised by the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for his sheer dedication and hard work behind canning the film, spoke about how this film brought him more close to his roots.<br />
<br />
Elucidating further, the director said, "I belong to Uttrakhand but never stayed here, so making this film was a complete eye-opener for me where I got the opportunity to stay around so much greenery, mountains, and a golden opportunity to re-access myself as a city dweller. I must say the film was not challenging for me at all because I had the support of my team and specially Vidyadutta ji who accepted me so well despite being my uncle."<br />
<br />
"Filming the documentary was the best thing for me in life as I got to know myself better, my roots, and even got an opportunity to improve as a filmmaker with each shot," said Dandriyal.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2gyYT9hIpO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Proud moment for Uttarakhand, Documentary based on the life and struggle of a rural farmer makes entry into #Oscars. CONGRATULATIONS to the, associated with the film. #motiBagh</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tsrawatbjp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Trivendra Singh Rawat</a> (@tsrawatbjp) on <time datetime="2019-09-17T12:27:27+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 17, 2019 at 5:27am PDT</time></p>
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<p>The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, who was elated after hearing the news of International acclaim, shared the poster of the film on his Instagram account.</p>

<p>"Proud moment for Uttarakhand, Documentary based on the life and struggle of a rural farmer makes entry into #Oscars. CONGRATULATIONS to the, associated with the film," he wrote.</p>


The documentary titled 'Moti Bagh' based on the struggling life of a farmer in a remote village in the Himalayas has been nominated for the Oscars. Director Nirmal Chander Dandriyal who hails from Uttrakhand and wanted to give back to the people of the state throws light on the 60 minutes film and its protagonist Vidyadutta.

The documentary titled 'Moti Bagh' based on the struggling life of a farmer in a remote village in the Himalayas has been nominated for the Oscars. Director Nirmal Chander Dandriyal who hails from Uttrakhand and wanted to give back to the people of the state throws light on the 60 minutes film and its protagonist Vidyadutta. "The story is about an 83-year-old farmer who considered farming as a passion not as hard labour. So I thought that the story of a common man who can get missed by any person should be told on a larger platform. We see so many films being made on prominent personalities, but there are certain people whose contribution the country gets unnoticed. So through this film, I have tried to portray the activism, poetry, and the passion of my uncle Vidyadutta ji for his art and many more which I am sure will be liked by all," he said. The director, who was recently praised by the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for his sheer dedication and hard work behind canning the film, spoke about how this film brought him more close to his roots. Elucidating further, the director said, "I belong to Uttrakhand but never stayed here, so making this film was a complete eye-opener for me where I got the opportunity to stay around so much greenery, mountains, and a golden opportunity to re-access myself as a city dweller. I must say the film was not challenging for me at all because I had the support of my team and specially Vidyadutta ji who accepted me so well despite being my uncle." "Filming the documentary was the best thing for me in life as I got to know myself better, my roots, and even got an opportunity to improve as a filmmaker with each shot," said Dandriyal. View this post on Instagram Proud moment for Uttarakhand, Documentary based on the life and struggle of a rural farmer makes entry into #Oscars. CONGRATULATIONS to the, associated with the film. #motiBagh A post shared by Trivendra Singh Rawat (@tsrawatbjp) on Sep 17, 2019 at 5:27am PDT × The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, who was elated after hearing the news of International acclaim, shared the poster of the film on his Instagram account. "Proud moment for Uttarakhand, Documentary based on the life and struggle of a rural farmer makes entry into #Oscars. CONGRATULATIONS to the, associated with the film," he wrote.

Documentary 'Moti Bagh' depicting struggles of farmer nominated for Oscars

<p>New Zealander Taika Waititi`s 'Jojo Rabbit' on Sunday won the audience award given at the end of the Toronto International Film Festival, which has in many past years been a bellwether for Academy Award winners.<br />
<br />
'Jojo Rabbit' is a comic satire about a 10-year-old German boy Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) during the World War Two, who finds out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic and turns for help to his imaginary friend Adolph Hitler (Waititi).<br />
<br />
Last week, Waititi was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival`s new Ebert Director Award, with the festival`s co-head Cameron Bailey hailing his "razor-sharp humour, faultless style and boundless generosity."</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2cPcqAnWK_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Not bad. I like these people. I want to meet them. They seem nice. And intelligent. That's always a good mix. #JojoRabbit @jojorabbitmovie</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/taikawaititi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Taika Waititi</a> (@taikawaititi) on <time datetime="2019-09-15T18:05:15+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 15, 2019 at 11:05am PDT</time></p>
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<p>Among the most popular films by the half-Maori, half-Jewish director is 'Thor: Ragnarok,' a 2017 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor. He is also known for 'Boy' and 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople.'</p>

<p>In the past 20 years, the Grolsch People`s Choice Award winner, selected based on voting by audiences at the Toronto festival, has gone on to win the Oscar for best picture five times -- 'Green Book' last year, '12 Years a Slave,' 'The King`s Speech,' 'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'American Beauty.'<br />
<br />
Two Toronto runner-ups, 'Spotlight' and 'Argo,' have also won Oscars during that time and Toronto award winners have been nominated for best picture Oscars in all but one of the past 10 years.</p>

<p>The prize offers C$15,000 in cash and a custom award. The runners-up are Noah Baumbach`s 'Marriage Story' and Bong Joon-ho`s 'Parasite.' Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia`s 'The Platform' won the festival`s Midnight Madness genre film award, and the documentary award went to Feras Fayyad`s 'The Cave.'</p>


New Zealander Taika Waititi`s 'Jojo Rabbit' on Sunday won the audience award given at the end of the Toronto International Film Festival, which has in many past years been a bellwether for Academy Award winners.

New Zealander Taika Waititi`s 'Jojo Rabbit' on Sunday won the audience award given at the end of the Toronto International Film Festival, which has in many past years been a bellwether for Academy Award winners. 'Jojo Rabbit' is a comic satire about a 10-year-old German boy Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) during the World War Two, who finds out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic and turns for help to his imaginary friend Adolph Hitler (Waititi). Last week, Waititi was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival`s new Ebert Director Award, with the festival`s co-head Cameron Bailey hailing his "razor-sharp humour, faultless style and boundless generosity." View this post on Instagram Not bad. I like these people. I want to meet them. They seem nice. And intelligent. That's always a good mix. #JojoRabbit @jojorabbitmovie A post shared by Taika Waititi (@taikawaititi) on Sep 15, 2019 at 11:05am PDT × Among the most popular films by the half-Maori, half-Jewish director is 'Thor: Ragnarok,' a 2017 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor. He is also known for 'Boy' and 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople.' In the past 20 years, the Grolsch People`s Choice Award winner, selected based on voting by audiences at the Toronto festival, has gone on to win the Oscar for best picture five times -- 'Green Book' last year, '12 Years a Slave,' 'The King`s Speech,' 'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'American Beauty.' Two Toronto runner-ups, 'Spotlight' and 'Argo,' have also won Oscars during that time and Toronto award winners have been nominated for best picture Oscars in all but one of the past 10 years. The prize offers C$15,000 in cash and a custom award. The runners-up are Noah Baumbach`s 'Marriage Story' and Bong Joon-ho`s 'Parasite.' Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia`s 'The Platform' won the festival`s Midnight Madness genre film award, and the documentary award went to Feras Fayyad`s 'The Cave.'

'Jojo Rabbit' wins audience award at Toronto film festival; next stop, Oscars?

<p>After winning the top honour at Cannes earlier this year, South Korean film 'Parasite' is headed to Oscars. The country has selected Bong Joon-ho`s films as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards.<br />
<br />
The black comedy, which won the Palme d`Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year, tells the story of a low-income family working their way into a rich family`s lives as household employees.<br />
<br />
The film is Bong`s second shot at the Oscars after his film `Mother` was selected by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) in 2009, but didn`t make it to the final shortlist.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
`Parasite` follows unemployed driver Kim Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho), his wife, Choong Sook (Jang Hye-jin), and their children as they struggle financially and aspire to live a rich life one day.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Things look up for the Kim family when the children are hired as a tutor and art therapist to the rich Park family.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
'Parasite' is scheduled for North America release on October 11 in New York and Los Angeles ahead of the awards seasons.An independent jury led by Kim Young-Jin, programming director at Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) picked `Parasite` from a shortlist of eight feature films to represent Korea in the upcoming Oscars race.<br />
<br />
After a successful opening in June, `Parasite` grossed over USD 71.3 million domestically and is the first Cannes-winning film that broke 10 million in ticket sales at the Korean box office.<br />
<br />
Despite its strong home-grown film industry and stellar directors like Lee Chang-Dong (Burning) and Park Chan-wook (The Handmaiden), South Korea has never won the international feature film category or made it to the final shortlist.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The nominations for the International Feature Film will be announced along with other categories on January 13, 2020. The 92nd Academy Awards will be held February 9, 2020.</p>


After winning the top honour at Cannes earlier this year, South Korean film 'Parasite' is headed to Oscars. The country has selected Bong Joon-ho`s films as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards.

After winning the top honour at Cannes earlier this year, South Korean film 'Parasite' is headed to Oscars. The country has selected Bong Joon-ho`s films as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards. The black comedy, which won the Palme d`Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year, tells the story of a low-income family working their way into a rich family`s lives as household employees. The film is Bong`s second shot at the Oscars after his film `Mother` was selected by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) in 2009, but didn`t make it to the final shortlist. `Parasite` follows unemployed driver Kim Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho), his wife, Choong Sook (Jang Hye-jin), and their children as they struggle financially and aspire to live a rich life one day. Things look up for the Kim family when the children are hired as a tutor and art therapist to the rich Park family. 'Parasite' is scheduled for North America release on October 11 in New York and Los Angeles ahead of the awards seasons.An independent jury led by Kim Young-Jin, programming director at Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) picked `Parasite` from a shortlist of eight feature films to represent Korea in the upcoming Oscars race. After a successful opening in June, `Parasite` grossed over USD 71.3 million domestically and is the first Cannes-winning film that broke 10 million in ticket sales at the Korean box office. Despite its strong home-grown film industry and stellar directors like Lee Chang-Dong (Burning) and Park Chan-wook (The Handmaiden), South Korea has never won the international feature film category or made it to the final shortlist. The nominations for the International Feature Film will be announced along with other categories on January 13, 2020. The 92nd Academy Awards will be held February 9, 2020.

South Korea selects 'Parasite' for International Feature Film category at Oscars 2020

<p>Hollywood's A-listers will hit the red carpet Sunday for the Oscars -- the climax of a long, eventful awards season that could yield some big surprises.</p>

<p>Alfonso Cuaron's black-and-white cinematic ode to his childhood, "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/international-films-break-out-of-oscars-foreign-category-led-by-roma-198914">Roma</a>," leads with <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2019-hollywood-royalty-set-for-gala-night-as-organizers-go-host-less-198847">10 nominations</a> and is a firm favourite for the coveted best picture Academy Award.</p>

<p>If it does win, it will be the first foreign-language film, and the first from streaming giant Netflix, to earn the honour.</p>

<p>But civil rights dramedy "Green Book" has overcome controversy to remain on the radar, and could benefit from the Academy's complex preferential voting system to snatch the top prize.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/alexandre-desplat-will-not-attend-oscars-2019-ceremony-198968">Alexandre Desplat will not attend Oscars 2019 ceremony</a></strong></p>

<p>Hot on their heels are a variety of films, from offbeat royal romp "The Favourite" (also with 10 nominations), to Spike Lee's race drama "BlacKkKlansman," to crowd-pleasers like superhero flick "Black Panther" and musical romance "A Star Is Born."</p>

<p>Two biopics -- "Vice" about former US vice president Dick Cheney and "Bohemian Rhapsody" about the band Queen -- round out the list of contenders for best picture.</p>

<p>The 7,900-odd voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had bold choices in front of them -- traditional art-house Oscar bait, and big, rousing blockbusters.</p>

<p>"With eight best picture nominees, every film has passionate supporters, but no film has a consensus," Tim Gray, awards editor for showbiz trade publication Variety, told AFP.</p>

<p>All will be revealed at the Dolby Theatre, in a ceremony beamed around the world to millions of showbiz fans, with a twist -- there will be no host for the first time in three decades.</p>

<p>The Academy opted to take the risk after comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the gig in the face of a firestorm over past controversial tweets that were slammed as homophobic.</p>

<p>"They still don't have an answer to a question that's been around since the first TV showing in 1953: is this a presentation of every category, or is it entertainment?" Gray said. "They want it to be both."</p>

<p>The entertainment factor will be high when Queen opens the show with singer Adam Lambert fronting the iconic band.</p>

<p><strong>Will Glenn Close finally win?</strong></p>

<p>For top acting honours, Christian Bale's transformation into Cheney for "Vice" gave him the early lead in the Oscars race and several statuettes.</p>

<p>But Rami Malek won respect from his peers -- and a Golden Globe, Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild award -- for his spellbinding turn as late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.</p>

<p>"In Christian Bale's, I see an incredible actorly thing, but with Rami Malek, you see a role that just really connected with audiences," said Variety's chief film critic Peter Debruge.</p>

<p>"I wouldn't be surprised if the newcomer disrupts in this case."</p>

<p>The best actress race has a clear favourite, Glenn Close, who has swept the prizes for her gripping work in "The Wife" as a woman on the edge when her author husband wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.</p>

<p>Close continued her success with the best actress trophy at Saturday's Film Independent Spirit Awards, held every year the day before the Oscars on Santa Monica beach, a few miles from Hollywood.</p>

<p>"It's very hard for me to accept the win-lose situation. I don't think there are any losers," Close told reporters on the red carpet.</p>

<p>Lady Gaga wowed fans and critics with her turn in "A Star is Born," and Yalitza Aparicio's nomination for her first acting role in "Roma" earned praise. But it looks to be Close's night.</p>

<p>"It is not her strongest role, but it is an opportunity for her to really own a small film, to carry it on her shoulders, and to remind the industry that here is one of our real treasures as an actress," Debruge said.</p>

<p>Mahershala Ali ("Green Book") and Regina King ("If Beale Street Could Talk") are the odds-on favourites in the supporting acting categories.</p>

<p><strong>Better ratings this year?</strong></p>

<p>The Academy -- desperate to boost television ratings that have plummeted in recent years -- is trying to stick to a three-hour telecast, but it hit a few bumps along the way.</p>

<p>Controversies over its efforts to save time included plans to present a handful of awards during commercial breaks and to feature only a few of the nominated songs. Both ideas have since been scrapped.</p>

<p>Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper will sing their power ballad "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born." Songstresses Jennifer Hudson, Bette Midler and Gillian Welch will also perform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But Variety reported that Kendrick Lamar and SZA would not perform "All the Stars" from "Black Panther," due to a "logistics and timing" issue.</p>

<p>The 91st Academy Awards begin Sunday at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday).&nbsp;</p>


Hollywood's A-listers will hit the red carpet Sunday for the Oscars -- the climax of a long, eventful awards season that could yield some big surprises. Alfonso Cuaron's black-and-white cinematic ode to his childhood, "Roma," leads with 10 nominations and is a firm favourite for the coveted best picture Academy Award.

Hollywood's A-listers will hit the red carpet Sunday for the Oscars -- the climax of a long, eventful awards season that could yield some big surprises. Alfonso Cuaron's black-and-white cinematic ode to his childhood, "Roma," leads with 10 nominations and is a firm favourite for the coveted best picture Academy Award. If it does win, it will be the first foreign-language film, and the first from streaming giant Netflix, to earn the honour. But civil rights dramedy "Green Book" has overcome controversy to remain on the radar, and could benefit from the Academy's complex preferential voting system to snatch the top prize. Also read: Alexandre Desplat will not attend Oscars 2019 ceremony Hot on their heels are a variety of films, from offbeat royal romp "The Favourite" (also with 10 nominations), to Spike Lee's race drama "BlacKkKlansman," to crowd-pleasers like superhero flick "Black Panther" and musical romance "A Star Is Born." Two biopics -- "Vice" about former US vice president Dick Cheney and "Bohemian Rhapsody" about the band Queen -- round out the list of contenders for best picture. The 7,900-odd voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had bold choices in front of them -- traditional art-house Oscar bait, and big, rousing blockbusters. "With eight best picture nominees, every film has passionate supporters, but no film has a consensus," Tim Gray, awards editor for showbiz trade publication Variety, told AFP. All will be revealed at the Dolby Theatre, in a ceremony beamed around the world to millions of showbiz fans, with a twist -- there will be no host for the first time in three decades. The Academy opted to take the risk after comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the gig in the face of a firestorm over past controversial tweets that were slammed as homophobic. "They still don't have an answer to a question that's been around since the first TV showing in 1953: is this a presentation of every category, or is it entertainment?" Gray said. "They want it to be both." The entertainment factor will be high when Queen opens the show with singer Adam Lambert fronting the iconic band. Will Glenn Close finally win? For top acting honours, Christian Bale's transformation into Cheney for "Vice" gave him the early lead in the Oscars race and several statuettes. But Rami Malek won respect from his peers -- and a Golden Globe, Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild award -- for his spellbinding turn as late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. "In Christian Bale's, I see an incredible actorly thing, but with Rami Malek, you see a role that just really connected with audiences," said Variety's chief film critic Peter Debruge. "I wouldn't be surprised if the newcomer disrupts in this case." The best actress race has a clear favourite, Glenn Close, who has swept the prizes for her gripping work in "The Wife" as a woman on the edge when her author husband wins the Nobel Prize in Literature. Close continued her success with the best actress trophy at Saturday's Film Independent Spirit Awards, held every year the day before the Oscars on Santa Monica beach, a few miles from Hollywood. "It's very hard for me to accept the win-lose situation. I don't think there are any losers," Close told reporters on the red carpet. Lady Gaga wowed fans and critics with her turn in "A Star is Born," and Yalitza Aparicio's nomination for her first acting role in "Roma" earned praise. But it looks to be Close's night. "It is not her strongest role, but it is an opportunity for her to really own a small film, to carry it on her shoulders, and to remind the industry that here is one of our real treasures as an actress," Debruge said. Mahershala Ali ("Green Book") and Regina King ("If Beale Street Could Talk") are the odds-on favourites in the supporting acting categories. Better ratings this year? The Academy -- desperate to boost television ratings that have plummeted in recent years -- is trying to stick to a three-hour telecast, but it hit a few bumps along the way. Controversies over its efforts to save time included plans to present a handful of awards during commercial breaks and to feature only a few of the nominated songs. Both ideas have since been scrapped. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper will sing their power ballad "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born." Songstresses Jennifer Hudson, Bette Midler and Gillian Welch will also perform. But Variety reported that Kendrick Lamar and SZA would not perform "All the Stars" from "Black Panther," due to a "logistics and timing" issue. The 91st Academy Awards begin Sunday at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday).

Oscars night is here! Hollywood ready for glitzy gala

<p>How much does an Oscar statue weigh? Which actor has received the most ever nominations? Who has the most Oscars ever?<br />
Here are some fun facts about the 91st Academy Awards, which will take place in Hollywood on Sunday:</p>

<p><strong>- Uncle Oscars?-</strong></p>

<p>Hollywood lore has it that the Academy Award was nicknamed Oscar after Academy librarian Margaret Herrick -- who eventually became executive director -- saw the trophy for the first time and thought it looked like her uncle Oscar.<br />
<br />
Hollywood legend Bette Davis allegedly claimed she had nicknamed the award Oscar as it reminded her of her first husband, musician Harmon Oscar Nelson Jr, but later withdrew that claim, according to IMDB.<br />
<br />
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially adopted the nickname in 1939.</p>

<p><strong>- Heavy prize -</strong></p>

<p>The Oscar statuette is solid bronze and plated in 24-karat gold. It stands 13.5 inches (34 centimeters) tall and weighs 8.5 pounds (3.8 kilograms).<br />
<br />
It takes three months for Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in New York to manufacture a batch of 50 statuettes. More than 3,140 statuettes have been handed out since 1929.<br />
<br />
The trophy represents a knight holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with five spokes that refer to the five original branches of the Academy -- actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers.</p>

<p><strong>- Acting royalty -</strong></p>

<p>Meryl Streep holds the record for the most nominations in the acting categories, with 21. She and Jack Nicholson -- the most nominated male actor with 12 nominations -- each have two statuettes for lead acting and one for supporting roles.<br />
<br />
The movie industry figure with the most Oscars is Walt Disney, who won 22, plus four honorary statuettes.<br />
<br />
Katharine Hepburn won the most Oscars for a performer, with four. Daniel Day-Lewis is the only person to have three best actor Oscars.</p>

<p><strong>- Young and old winners -</strong></p>

<p>The youngest person to receive an Oscar was six-year-old Shirley Temple in 1935, although it was a non-competitive honorary award for children to honor her work from the year before.<br />
<br />
The youngest to win a competitive Oscar was Tatum O'Neal, who was 10 when she bagged best supporting actress for "Paper Moon" in 1974.<br />
<br />
The oldest winner of an acting award was Christopher Plummer, who was 82 when he won his first Oscar for best supporting actor in 'Beginners' in 2012.</p>

<p><strong>- Unfortunate streak -</strong></p>

<p>Sound engineer Kevin O'Connell held the record for most Academy Award nominations without a win at 20. But the 21st time was the charm in 2017 when he finally won for best sound mixing for 'Hacksaw Ridge.'</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


How much does an Oscar statue weigh? Which actor has received the most ever nominations? Who has the most Oscars ever? Here are some fun facts about the 91st Academy Awards, which will take place in Hollywood on Sunday: - Uncle Oscars?

How much does an Oscar statue weigh? Which actor has received the most ever nominations? Who has the most Oscars ever? Here are some fun facts about the 91st Academy Awards, which will take place in Hollywood on Sunday: - Uncle Oscars?- Hollywood lore has it that the Academy Award was nicknamed Oscar after Academy librarian Margaret Herrick -- who eventually became executive director -- saw the trophy for the first time and thought it looked like her uncle Oscar. Hollywood legend Bette Davis allegedly claimed she had nicknamed the award Oscar as it reminded her of her first husband, musician Harmon Oscar Nelson Jr, but later withdrew that claim, according to IMDB. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially adopted the nickname in 1939. - Heavy prize - The Oscar statuette is solid bronze and plated in 24-karat gold. It stands 13.5 inches (34 centimeters) tall and weighs 8.5 pounds (3.8 kilograms). It takes three months for Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in New York to manufacture a batch of 50 statuettes. More than 3,140 statuettes have been handed out since 1929. The trophy represents a knight holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with five spokes that refer to the five original branches of the Academy -- actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers. - Acting royalty - Meryl Streep holds the record for the most nominations in the acting categories, with 21. She and Jack Nicholson -- the most nominated male actor with 12 nominations -- each have two statuettes for lead acting and one for supporting roles. The movie industry figure with the most Oscars is Walt Disney, who won 22, plus four honorary statuettes. Katharine Hepburn won the most Oscars for a performer, with four. Daniel Day-Lewis is the only person to have three best actor Oscars. - Young and old winners - The youngest person to receive an Oscar was six-year-old Shirley Temple in 1935, although it was a non-competitive honorary award for children to honor her work from the year before. The youngest to win a competitive Oscar was Tatum O'Neal, who was 10 when she bagged best supporting actress for "Paper Moon" in 1974. The oldest winner of an acting award was Christopher Plummer, who was 82 when he won his first Oscar for best supporting actor in 'Beginners' in 2012. - Unfortunate streak - Sound engineer Kevin O'Connell held the record for most Academy Award nominations without a win at 20. But the 21st time was the charm in 2017 when he finally won for best sound mixing for 'Hacksaw Ridge.'

Here's why the Academy decided to call its award ceremony 'Oscars'

<p>There will not be a host and Sunday`s Oscars ceremony will not open with the traditional monologue in which celebrities and politicians are skewered.<br />
Yet, with rock band Queen, pop superstar Lady Gaga and two musicals in the race for best picture, the highest honours in the movie industry will have an unusually strong music vibe as the Oscars seek to regain television audiences.<br />
<br />
British band Queen, featuring Adam Lambert as lead vocalist, will open the 24th February show with a live performance celebrating the box-office success of best picture nominee 'Bohemian Rhapsody,'&nbsp;a representative of the band told Reuters.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Bette Midler, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez and record producer Pharrell Williams are also set to attend or present, along with James Bond actor Daniel Craig, tennis champion Serena Williams, ' Black Panther' &nbsp;star Chadwick Boseman and comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.<br />
<br />
Details have been scant about the first Academy Awards ceremony in 30 years to go ahead without a host, bringing a curiosity factor to the last and biggest awards show of the season. Comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the host job in December after past homophobic tweets resurfaced.<br />
<br />
"Hollywood is all about suspense," said Tom O`Neil, founder of awards website Goldderby.com.</p>

<p>One thing is certain; it will not be shorter. A pledge to broadcaster ABC to keep the show to three hours was wrecked last week when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bowed to protests and scrapped plans to hand out four of the 24 Oscars during commercial breaks.<br />
<br />
In 1989, the last time there was no host, the telecast opened with an 11-minute song and dance number featuring Rob Lowe and an actress dressed as Snow White that was widely derided.<br />
<br />
Under pressure to deliver a compelling show for viewers after last year`s TV audience hit an all-time low, producers have made the most of the best original song contenders.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Lady Gaga and actor-director Bradley Cooper will perform a live duet of her hit song "Shallow" from their best picture contender 'A Star is Born,' &nbsp;while Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to sing 'Fight' from documentary 'RBG.'<br />
<br />
Midler will do the honours for the 'Mary Poppins Returns' song "The Place Where Lost Things Go" and country duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will perform "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings."&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"That is one of the places where the star wattage can make a difference," said Alison Willmore, critic and culture writer at BuzzFeed News.<br />
<br />
"Lady Gaga is a music superstar and I would imagine her hard core fans will be tuning in for her," Willmore added.<br />
<br />
Organizers have not said whether rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform his Oscar-nominated song "All the Stars" from superhero movie 'Black Panther.'<br />
<br />
The academy on Wednesday said that Serena Williams, talk show host Trevor Noah and Congressman John Lewis would appear to talk about what the best picture nominees mean to them. Spanish-American chef Jose Andres, musician Tom Morello and Barbra Streisand will also be among those introducing the nominees.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Sunday`s show is also expected to dispense with the segments between award handouts that in recent years have focused on pizza deliveries or surprising people on bus tours.<br />
<br />
"I`m not going to miss a lot of those little bits. That often feels like the part that makes the ceremony long, so maybe without a host it won`t feel like it`s dragging," said BuzzFeed`s Willmore.</p>


There will not be a host and Sunday`s Oscars ceremony will not open with the traditional monologue in which celebrities and politicians are skewered. Yet, with rock band Queen, pop superstar Lady Gaga and two musicals in the race for best picture, the highest honours in the movie industry will have an unusually strong music vibe as the Oscars seek to regain television audiences.

There will not be a host and Sunday`s Oscars ceremony will not open with the traditional monologue in which celebrities and politicians are skewered. Yet, with rock band Queen, pop superstar Lady Gaga and two musicals in the race for best picture, the highest honours in the movie industry will have an unusually strong music vibe as the Oscars seek to regain television audiences. British band Queen, featuring Adam Lambert as lead vocalist, will open the 24th February show with a live performance celebrating the box-office success of best picture nominee 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' a representative of the band told Reuters. Bette Midler, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez and record producer Pharrell Williams are also set to attend or present, along with James Bond actor Daniel Craig, tennis champion Serena Williams, ' Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman and comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Details have been scant about the first Academy Awards ceremony in 30 years to go ahead without a host, bringing a curiosity factor to the last and biggest awards show of the season. Comedian Kevin Hart withdrew from the host job in December after past homophobic tweets resurfaced. "Hollywood is all about suspense," said Tom O`Neil, founder of awards website Goldderby.com. One thing is certain; it will not be shorter. A pledge to broadcaster ABC to keep the show to three hours was wrecked last week when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bowed to protests and scrapped plans to hand out four of the 24 Oscars during commercial breaks. In 1989, the last time there was no host, the telecast opened with an 11-minute song and dance number featuring Rob Lowe and an actress dressed as Snow White that was widely derided. Under pressure to deliver a compelling show for viewers after last year`s TV audience hit an all-time low, producers have made the most of the best original song contenders. Lady Gaga and actor-director Bradley Cooper will perform a live duet of her hit song "Shallow" from their best picture contender 'A Star is Born,' while Jennifer Hudson has been tapped to sing 'Fight' from documentary 'RBG.' Midler will do the honours for the 'Mary Poppins Returns' song "The Place Where Lost Things Go" and country duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will perform "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings." "That is one of the places where the star wattage can make a difference," said Alison Willmore, critic and culture writer at BuzzFeed News. "Lady Gaga is a music superstar and I would imagine her hard core fans will be tuning in for her," Willmore added. Organizers have not said whether rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform his Oscar-nominated song "All the Stars" from superhero movie 'Black Panther.' The academy on Wednesday said that Serena Williams, talk show host Trevor Noah and Congressman John Lewis would appear to talk about what the best picture nominees mean to them. Spanish-American chef Jose Andres, musician Tom Morello and Barbra Streisand will also be among those introducing the nominees. Sunday`s show is also expected to dispense with the segments between award handouts that in recent years have focused on pizza deliveries or surprising people on bus tours. "I`m not going to miss a lot of those little bits. That often feels like the part that makes the ceremony long, so maybe without a host it won`t feel like it`s dragging," said BuzzFeed`s Willmore.

No host? No problem. Queen, Lady Gaga to bring Grammys vibe to Oscars

<p>From Lebanese street children to love behind the Iron Curtain and the daily life of a Mexican housekeeper, this year`s Oscar-nominated foreign language films draw from real life and, in some cases, deeply personal experiences.<br />
<br />
While Poland`s 'Cold War" and Germany`s 'Never Look Away'&nbsp;are set decades ago, Japan`s 'Shoplifters'&nbsp;and Lebanon`s 'Capernaum'&nbsp;take on contemporary themes, while "Roma" is the most personal film ever made by Alfonso Cuaron.<br />
<br />
'Roma,' inspired by Cuaron`s 1970s childhood in Mexico City`s Colonia Roma neighborhood, is seen as the favorite to take not only the foreign language Oscar on Sunday but could make history by also winning best picture.<br />
<br />
The film, shot entirely in black and white, is inspired by the two women who raised Cuaron: his mother and a domestic worker.<br />
<br />
"The source material were my memories, but then the film took on its own life," Cuaron said. "Now my memories are tainted by the film."&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>LOVE AND CHAOS&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski was inspired by the love life of his parents for 'Cold War,' a dark romance between a pianist and a singer set in both Communist-led Poland and postwar France. The lead characters, Wiktor and Zula, are named after his parents.<br />
<br />
"It was very personal to start with because that`s where the idea came from," Pawlikowski said. "It`s inspired by the tempestuous and chaotic relationships which involved many divorces, separations, marrying other people, remarrying, moving countries and so on."</p>

<p>Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck also looked back to World War Two for 'Never Look Away.' The story about a struggling artist in Nazi-era Germany and then Communist-ruled East Germany spans four decades.<br />
<br />
Donnersmarck was born in West Germany in 1973 and partly grew up in the United States.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Donnersmarck said he wanted to "see how within one family drama you have the murderers and the victims and the Nazis and those whom they abused and killed and destroyed living under one roof."<br />
<br />
In Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda`s drama "Shoplifters," an elderly widow, three adults, a boy and a girl create a family unit that is united by financial and emotional need.<br />
<br />
They steal to supplement their working-class wages, all while hiding from authorities after kidnapping the girl from her abusive parents.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The film employs a "ripped-from-the-headlines" approach based on news reports Kore-eda read about families who commit crimes.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Lebanese director Nadine Labaki cast street children in "Capernaum" to tell the story of a 12-year-old boy in a Beirut slum who tries to stop his younger sister from being married off.<br />
<br />
The plot was largely based on events Labaki witnessed or cast members experienced, and took more than four years to make. The film`s young protagonist is played by a Syrian refugee. Another young cast member was jailed during the shoot, and a third was deported to Kenya.<br />
<br />
"None of it was make-believe," Labaki said.</p>


From Lebanese street children to love behind the Iron Curtain and the daily life of a Mexican housekeeper, this year`s Oscar-nominated foreign language films draw from real life and, in some cases, deeply personal experiences.

From Lebanese street children to love behind the Iron Curtain and the daily life of a Mexican housekeeper, this year`s Oscar-nominated foreign language films draw from real life and, in some cases, deeply personal experiences. While Poland`s 'Cold War" and Germany`s 'Never Look Away' are set decades ago, Japan`s 'Shoplifters' and Lebanon`s 'Capernaum' take on contemporary themes, while "Roma" is the most personal film ever made by Alfonso Cuaron. 'Roma,' inspired by Cuaron`s 1970s childhood in Mexico City`s Colonia Roma neighborhood, is seen as the favorite to take not only the foreign language Oscar on Sunday but could make history by also winning best picture. The film, shot entirely in black and white, is inspired by the two women who raised Cuaron: his mother and a domestic worker. "The source material were my memories, but then the film took on its own life," Cuaron said. "Now my memories are tainted by the film." LOVE AND CHAOS Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski was inspired by the love life of his parents for 'Cold War,' a dark romance between a pianist and a singer set in both Communist-led Poland and postwar France. The lead characters, Wiktor and Zula, are named after his parents. "It was very personal to start with because that`s where the idea came from," Pawlikowski said. "It`s inspired by the tempestuous and chaotic relationships which involved many divorces, separations, marrying other people, remarrying, moving countries and so on." Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck also looked back to World War Two for 'Never Look Away.' The story about a struggling artist in Nazi-era Germany and then Communist-ruled East Germany spans four decades. Donnersmarck was born in West Germany in 1973 and partly grew up in the United States. Donnersmarck said he wanted to "see how within one family drama you have the murderers and the victims and the Nazis and those whom they abused and killed and destroyed living under one roof." In Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda`s drama "Shoplifters," an elderly widow, three adults, a boy and a girl create a family unit that is united by financial and emotional need. They steal to supplement their working-class wages, all while hiding from authorities after kidnapping the girl from her abusive parents. The film employs a "ripped-from-the-headlines" approach based on news reports Kore-eda read about families who commit crimes. Lebanese director Nadine Labaki cast street children in "Capernaum" to tell the story of a 12-year-old boy in a Beirut slum who tries to stop his younger sister from being married off. The plot was largely based on events Labaki witnessed or cast members experienced, and took more than four years to make. The film`s young protagonist is played by a Syrian refugee. Another young cast member was jailed during the shoot, and a third was deported to Kenya. "None of it was make-believe," Labaki said.

Oscars 2019: From street kids to war romance, best foreign-film nominees keeps it real

<p>George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Robert de Niro on Thursday joined a growing protest in Hollywood over plans by Oscars organizers to present cinematography, editing and some other awards during commercial breaks at next week`s Academy Awards ceremony.<br />
<br />
Sandra Bullock, Emma Stone and Jon Hamm also added their names to an open letter signed by directors Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee and Alfonso Cuaron demanding the decision be reversed.<br />
<br />
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced earlier this week that the Oscars for best cinematography, film editing, short films and makeup/hairstyling would be presented during the commercials in the Feb. 24 telecast. The academy said edited versions of the winner acceptance speeches would be included later in the live broadcast.<br />
<br />
The plan is part of an effort to make the Oscar telecast shorter and boost television viewership. A total of 24 Oscars are handed out at the Hollywood ceremony. Organizers have pledged to trim its duration by about 40 minutes to three hours this year.<br />
<br />
But the open letter, signed by more than 50 directors, actors and filmmakers, accused the academy of "relegating these essential crafts to lesser status" and insulting the professionals who work in the four areas.<br />
<br />
The academy on Wednesday defended the changes, blaming "inaccurate reporting and social media posts" that it said had "understandably upset many Academy members."<br />
<br />
Some news reports suggested that the winners of the four Oscars would not be included at all on the Oscars telecast.<br />
<br />
In a letter to its 8,000 members, the academy said representatives of the four branches affected had volunteered to take part in the new plan.<br />
<br />
"No award category at the 91st Oscars ceremony will be presented in a manner that depicts the achievements of its nominees and winners as less than any others," the academy letter said.<br />
<br />
The changes were also attacked on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-academy-faces-backlash-from-cuaron-del-toro-as-it-decides-to-give-techincal-oscars-during-ad-break-196991">Twitter by the likes of Cuaron,</a> who is Oscar-nominated for both cinematography and directing his best-picture contender, 'Roma.'<br />
<br />
"In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing," the Mexican filmmaker tweeted.</p>


George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Robert de Niro on Thursday joined a growing protest in Hollywood over plans by Oscars organizers to present cinematography, editing and some other awards during commercial breaks at next week`s Academy Awards ceremony.

George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Robert de Niro on Thursday joined a growing protest in Hollywood over plans by Oscars organizers to present cinematography, editing and some other awards during commercial breaks at next week`s Academy Awards ceremony. Sandra Bullock, Emma Stone and Jon Hamm also added their names to an open letter signed by directors Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee and Alfonso Cuaron demanding the decision be reversed. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced earlier this week that the Oscars for best cinematography, film editing, short films and makeup/hairstyling would be presented during the commercials in the Feb. 24 telecast. The academy said edited versions of the winner acceptance speeches would be included later in the live broadcast. The plan is part of an effort to make the Oscar telecast shorter and boost television viewership. A total of 24 Oscars are handed out at the Hollywood ceremony. Organizers have pledged to trim its duration by about 40 minutes to three hours this year. But the open letter, signed by more than 50 directors, actors and filmmakers, accused the academy of "relegating these essential crafts to lesser status" and insulting the professionals who work in the four areas. The academy on Wednesday defended the changes, blaming "inaccurate reporting and social media posts" that it said had "understandably upset many Academy members." Some news reports suggested that the winners of the four Oscars would not be included at all on the Oscars telecast. In a letter to its 8,000 members, the academy said representatives of the four branches affected had volunteered to take part in the new plan. "No award category at the 91st Oscars ceremony will be presented in a manner that depicts the achievements of its nominees and winners as less than any others," the academy letter said. The changes were also attacked on Twitter by the likes of Cuaron, who is Oscar-nominated for both cinematography and directing his best-picture contender, 'Roma.' "In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing," the Mexican filmmaker tweeted.

George Clooney, Brad Pitt among Hollywood actors yelling 'cut' over Oscar award changes

<p>The actor Kevin Hart ruled out hosting this year's Oscars because he no longer had enough time to prepare for the show, days after saying he was evaluating his December decision to step down over criticism of past homophobic comments.</p>

<p><br />
He told ABC that he was no longer willing to discuss the anti-gay comments he had made on Twitter in 2010 and 2011, which caused the uproar that led him to step down as host, saying his previous explanations and apology were sufficient.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
"I'm over it," he said repeatedly to almost every question on the topic during a sometimes testy interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'</p>

<p>&nbsp;<br />
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named Hart as Oscars host in December, but he stepped down soon after amid criticism of his past tweets.</p>

<p><br />
Last week, Hart had said he was re-evaluating that decision after the openly-gay comedian Ellen DeGeneres, a past Oscars host, said she had called the Academy to advocate for Hart. By Wednesday, the evaluation appeared to be over.</p>

<p>"No, I'm not hosting the Oscars this year," he said in an ABC interview. "It's not in God's plan right now." He said he could not rule out hosting in future years.</p>

<p><br />
Hart, known for his stand-up comedy and roles in films including 'Ride Along,' said he would not have enough time ahead of the Feb. 24 ceremony in Los Angeles to prepare to do a professional job: "If I do something I want to give it my all."&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The actor Kevin Hart ruled out hosting this year's Oscars because he no longer had enough time to prepare for the show, days after saying he was evaluating his December decision to step down over criticism of past homophobic comments.

The actor Kevin Hart ruled out hosting this year's Oscars because he no longer had enough time to prepare for the show, days after saying he was evaluating his December decision to step down over criticism of past homophobic comments. He told ABC that he was no longer willing to discuss the anti-gay comments he had made on Twitter in 2010 and 2011, which caused the uproar that led him to step down as host, saying his previous explanations and apology were sufficient. "I'm over it," he said repeatedly to almost every question on the topic during a sometimes testy interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named Hart as Oscars host in December, but he stepped down soon after amid criticism of his past tweets. Last week, Hart had said he was re-evaluating that decision after the openly-gay comedian Ellen DeGeneres, a past Oscars host, said she had called the Academy to advocate for Hart. By Wednesday, the evaluation appeared to be over. "No, I'm not hosting the Oscars this year," he said in an ABC interview. "It's not in God's plan right now." He said he could not rule out hosting in future years. Hart, known for his stand-up comedy and roles in films including 'Ride Along,' said he would not have enough time ahead of the Feb. 24 ceremony in Los Angeles to prepare to do a professional job: "If I do something I want to give it my all."

Comedian Kevin Hart rules out hosting the Oscars, says 'I am over it'

<p>The 90th Oscars was a night of many firsts. One such moment was when Daniela Vega came on stage to introduce a performance by Sufjan Stevens, whose song <em>Mystery of Love</em>&nbsp;from the <em>Call Me By Your Name</em>&nbsp;soundtrack was nominated for the best original song.<br />
<br />
On Sunday night, Daniela Vega became the first openly transgender person to present at the big ceremony.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
On stage, Vega acknowledged the importance of her presence on stage. &quot;Thank you so much for this moment,&quot; she said before introducing Stevens.<br />
<br />
The night was special for Vega as <em>A Fantastic Woman</em>, a Chilean film about a trans woman mourning the death of her partner, won the award for best foreign language film. Vega has played the lead role in the film.&nbsp;</p>


The 90th Oscars was a night of many firsts.

The 90th Oscars was a night of many firsts. One such moment was when Daniela Vega came on stage to introduce a performance by Sufjan Stevens, whose song Mystery of Love from the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack was nominated for the best original song. On Sunday night, Daniela Vega became the first openly transgender person to present at the big ceremony. On stage, Vega acknowledged the importance of her presence on stage. "Thank you so much for this moment," she said before introducing Stevens. The night was special for Vega as A Fantastic Woman, a Chilean film about a trans woman mourning the death of her partner, won the award for best foreign language film. Vega has played the lead role in the film.

Daniela Vega became the first transgender to present at the Oscars

<p>It was a night when Mexico and Me Too Movement got the most acknowledgment as Guillermo del Toro, Coco won big at the 90th Academy Awards. &nbsp;Del Toro won Best Director for his film Shape Of Water which also won the Best Film Award while Coco won the Best Animated Feature Film award along with Best Song.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Academy in its own way made a statement which highlighted the importance of inclusion giving out a strong message the Donald Trump. The award ceremony also saw Frances McDormand delivering the best speech of the night as she went up on the stage to accept her Best Actress award for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oscars-2018-full-list-of-winners-34699">Here&#39;s the complete list of winners</a><br />
<br />
In her acceptance speech, McDormand thanked her family and asked all the other female nominees to stand up. She also urged producers to back small and independent films<br />
&quot;I have two words to leave with you tonight, &#39;inclusion&#39; and &#39;writer&#39;,&quot; an emotional McDormand said.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-sridevi-shashi-kapoor-honoured-at-oscars-in-their-in-memorium-segment-34689">Also see: Bollywood stars Sridevi and Shashi Kapoor remembered at the Oscars</a><br />
<br />
Veteran actor Gary Oldman took home the Best Actor award for his stupendous performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-oscars-2018-all-the-notable-looks-from-the-red-carpet-34659">Also see: Oscars red carpet</a><br />
<br />
&quot;I would just like to salute Sir Winston Churchill, who has been marvellous company on what can be described as an incredible journey,&quot; Oldman told the Oscars audience on Sunday.<br />
<br />
Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel tackled Hollywood`s sexual misconduct scandal with jokes on a night heavy with nods to activism on issues ranging from LGBT issues and school shootings to sexism and racism.<br />
<br />
Gay romance Call Me by Your Name&nbsp;won best-adapted screenplay and racial satire &quot;Get Out&quot; won best original screenplay.<br />
<br />
A Fantastic Woman,&nbsp;Chile`s groundbreaking story about a transgender woman, played by transgender actress Daniela Vega, won best foreign language film.<br />
<br />
Sam Rockwell and Allison Janney took home their first Oscars for their supporting roles Three Billboards&nbsp;and independent ice-skating movie I, Tonya,&nbsp;respectively.</p>


Del Toro won Best Director for his film Shape Of Water which also won the Best Film Award while Coco won the Best Animated Feature Film award along with Best Song.

It was a night when Mexico and Me Too Movement got the most acknowledgment as Guillermo del Toro, Coco won big at the 90th Academy Awards. Del Toro won Best Director for his film Shape Of Water which also won the Best Film Award while Coco won the Best Animated Feature Film award along with Best Song. Academy in its own way made a statement which highlighted the importance of inclusion giving out a strong message the Donald Trump. The award ceremony also saw Frances McDormand delivering the best speech of the night as she went up on the stage to accept her Best Actress award for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Here's the complete list of winners In her acceptance speech, McDormand thanked her family and asked all the other female nominees to stand up. She also urged producers to back small and independent films "I have two words to leave with you tonight, 'inclusion' and 'writer'," an emotional McDormand said. Also see: Bollywood stars Sridevi and Shashi Kapoor remembered at the Oscars Veteran actor Gary Oldman took home the Best Actor award for his stupendous performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Also see: Oscars red carpet "I would just like to salute Sir Winston Churchill, who has been marvellous company on what can be described as an incredible journey," Oldman told the Oscars audience on Sunday. Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel tackled Hollywood`s sexual misconduct scandal with jokes on a night heavy with nods to activism on issues ranging from LGBT issues and school shootings to sexism and racism. Gay romance Call Me by Your Name won best-adapted screenplay and racial satire "Get Out" won best original screenplay. A Fantastic Woman, Chile`s groundbreaking story about a transgender woman, played by transgender actress Daniela Vega, won best foreign language film. Sam Rockwell and Allison Janney took home their first Oscars for their supporting roles Three Billboards and independent ice-skating movie I, Tonya, respectively.

Oscars 2018: Frances McDormand, Oldman, Shape Of Water win top honours as the Academy talks about inclusion

<p>Taking a tough stand against Pakistan ahead of his confirmation hearing, US defence secretary-designate James Mattis has said that he will tell Pakistan to &quot;expel or neutralise&quot; externally-focused militant groups operating with impunity within the country.</p>

<p>Mattis also said that US-Pakistan ties have had its highs and lows and that he will work towards rebuilding the trust that is needed for an effective partnership.</p>

<p>&quot;If confirmed, I will work with the State Department and the Congress to incentivise Pakistan&#39;s co-operation on issues critical to our national interests and the region&#39;s security, with focus on Pakistan&#39;s need to expel or neutralise externally-focused militant groups that operate within its borders,&quot; said Mattis.</p>

<p>Responding to a question if he supports conditioning US aid to Pakistan, the former Marine general said that &quot;conditioning our security assistance&quot; to Pakistan has a mixed history and that he will &quot;review all options&quot;.</p>

<p>Mattis told the lawmakers that Pakistan should collaborate more with its neighbour in combating terror.</p>

<p>&quot;I believe they should do more to collaborate with their neighbour. We should urge Pakistan to take further actions against the Taliban and the Haqqani network,&quot; Mattis said.</p>

<p>The Haqqani Network is a terrorist organisation which has targeted many Western and Indian interests including the bombing of Indian mission in Kabul in 2008.</p>

<p>Mattis also underlined&nbsp;that&nbsp;safe sanctuaries for Afghan Taliban and other terror groups inside Pakistan is a worry and that he will review efforts being done to deny such safe havens.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;Sanctuaries and freedom of movement for the Afghan Taliban and associated militant networks inside Pakistani territory is a key operational issue faced by the Afghan security forces. If confirmed, I will examine efforts to deny sanctuary to the extremist forces undermining the stability and security of Afghanistan,&quot; he said, responding to a query.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


The announcement is also expected to address the long-running #OscarsSoWhite controversy

Taking a tough stand against Pakistan ahead of his confirmation hearing, US defence secretary-designate James Mattis has said that he will tell Pakistan to "expel or neutralise" externally-focused militant groups operating with impunity within the country. Mattis also said that US-Pakistan ties have had its highs and lows and that he will work towards rebuilding the trust that is needed for an effective partnership. "If confirmed, I will work with the State Department and the Congress to incentivise Pakistan's co-operation on issues critical to our national interests and the region's security, with focus on Pakistan's need to expel or neutralise externally-focused militant groups that operate within its borders," said Mattis. Responding to a question if he supports conditioning US aid to Pakistan, the former Marine general said that "conditioning our security assistance" to Pakistan has a mixed history and that he will "review all options". Mattis told the lawmakers that Pakistan should collaborate more with its neighbour in combating terror. "I believe they should do more to collaborate with their neighbour. We should urge Pakistan to take further actions against the Taliban and the Haqqani network," Mattis said. The Haqqani Network is a terrorist organisation which has targeted many Western and Indian interests including the bombing of Indian mission in Kabul in 2008. Mattis also underlined that safe sanctuaries for Afghan Taliban and other terror groups inside Pakistan is a worry and that he will review efforts being done to deny such safe havens. "Sanctuaries and freedom of movement for the Afghan Taliban and associated militant networks inside Pakistani territory is a key operational issue faced by the Afghan security forces. If confirmed, I will examine efforts to deny sanctuary to the extremist forces undermining the stability and security of Afghanistan," he said, responding to a query. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Oscar nominations to be announced Tuesday

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