Another year, another successful Academy Awards ceremony. Through the years, this infamous event has championed the best and most controversial films ever made. And the telecast itself has earned some headlines as well. This year, however, their chosen winners had a historical impact. The 92nd Academy Awards saw some major magical moments that made history. From surprising firsts to people finally getting what they deserve, here are the night's historic wins.
Best Picture - "Parasite"
It'd be a crime not to start with the biggest award—thereby the biggest win—of the night. For the first time in its 92-year history, the Oscars saw a foreign-language film win the 'Best Picture' Oscar. Countless films have come close, but this South Korean comedy-thriller got it undisputedly. It also won, unsurprisingly, the 'Best Foreign Language Film' award earlier that night too. With such a groundbreaking victory, "Parasite" has finally opened the doors for movies from other countries to capture what is perhaps the biggest award in the movie industry.
Parasite Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase
Best Director - Bong Joon-Ho for "Parasite"
As with most films that have won 'Best Picture,' their directors almost always win the 'Best Director' Oscar. This year was no different, but it was the director himself that made quite a difference. Bong Joon-Ho now holds the honor of the first-ever director of a foreign-language film to have won the coveted award. Hailing from South Korea, he has made countless films in his mother tongue that are just as good as his award-winning film. It's just his luck—as well as supremely creative eye and expert skills—that one of them got him an Oscar!
Best Adapted Screenplay - Taika Waititi for "Jojo Rabbit"
Trust a guy like Taika Waititi to make Hitler a little bit likable. His 2019 film, "Jojo Rabbit," has become one of the most notorious releases ever, creating a social divide among audiences whether such a project was ever appropriate in the first place. But whichever side people were on, it was clear the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science thought it was a great movie. So much so, they awarded Waititi with the 'Best in Adapted Screenplay' Oscar. And with this award, he became the first-ever Academy Award winner of Māorian decent. Race has often been a massive Achilles heel for the Academy, but with Taika Waititi and Bong Joon-Ho's historic wins, they've taken massive steps forward.
Jojo Rabbit Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase
Best Supporting Actor - Brad Pitt for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
With that said, it's almost undeniable that the Oscars have favored white men more than any other race and gender in the movie industry right now. But there is one white man whose win that night got people up on their feet. For decades now, Brad Pitt has been the epitome of a handsome male lead. And while he has often shown his acting chops—and other great "assets"—on screen, he hasn't been recognized by the many awarding bodies audiences revere. That was, until now. With his virtuoso performance in the Quentin Tarantino film, "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood," finally, one of Hollywood's greatest leads is now an Academy Award-winning actor!
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase
Best Original Score - Hildur Guðnadóttir for "Joker"
What's another group that the Academy has often side-stepped? Women! There are so many incredible women, both on and off-screen, that contribute so much talent and skill in the movie industry that's almost a crime that they haven't been awarded that many Oscars. But, at least, tonight saw one category make one step further: the 'Best Original Score.' Throughout this 2020 awards season, Hildur Guðnadóttir, who made the theme for "Joker," has gotten practically all of the 'Original Score' awards in all of the major ceremonies. By winning the Academy Award for it, she's become the fifth woman in history to receive the prestigious honor. Now, five isn't a lot, but with such a long road to gender equality ahead, it's a modest start.
Joker Autographed Poster | Click here to purchase
Kudos to the Academy for finally recognizing movies and visionaries that are way beyond their comfort zones. Here's to hoping the next ceremonies to come will be just as diverse, different, and historic as this one was!
