The Oscars highlight the actors, directors, and crew that make the movies we watch possible. 

The 97th Academy Awards took place in Los Angeles, CA on March 2. Fires postponed the awards, with the beginning montage celebrating the state. The Oscars this year came with performances, celebrations and tributes to the film industry.  

Winners 

Best Picture: “Anora”

Achievement in directing: “Anora,” by Sean Baker 

Performance by an actor in a leading role: Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”

Performance by an actress in a leading role: Mikey Madison, “Anora”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez” 

Best feature animated film: “Flow”

Best international feature film: “I’m Still Here,” Brazil

Best documentary feature film: “No Other Land”

Original Score: “The Brutalist,” Daniel Blumberg

Achievement in cinematography: “The Brutalist”

Achievement in visual effects: “Dune: Part Two”

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling: “The Substance,” Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli

Achievement in costume design: “Wicked,” Paul Tazewell

The full list of Academy Award winners can be found here. 

Performances 

Musical performances were dotted throughout the show, with an opening montage of ‘Wicked’s: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo singing ‘Defying Gravity’. 

Homages to old Hollywood were a common theme. Grande and Erivo’s act paid tribute to ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ the movie ‘Wicked’ was based on. Raye, Doja Cat and LISA did an accolade performance to James Bond. 

Social Commentary

The Oscars is one of the biggest stages in the world, many in the film industry use their platform to bring awareness to issues going on across the world. 

Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, who won the award for best documentary, spoke up in support of the Palestinian people in their acceptance speech. 

Adra said on stage: “No Other Land reflects the harsh reality that we’ve been enduring for decades and still resist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.” 

Sean Baker, the director of “Anora,” took to the stage to speak in support of movie theaters. 

“In a time in which our world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever: It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home,” he said.

Campus Reactions

Tyson Davis, a professor in the College of Arts and Humanities, shared his thoughts on the winners for the night.

“I’m sure those who won were deserving. I wanted Demi Moore to win, so I’m biased. I thought they could have shared the love a little bit more, seeing that Anora pretty much swept the night,” he said. “It seemed to me like Wicked could’ve won Best Picture. Maybe Anora was that deserving and I’m missing something. But as far as the lead actor goes, I don’t think Brody should have won.”