The 93rd annual Academy Awards aired live on Sunday April 25, 2021 live at Union station in Los Angeles, as it recognized movies that survived and thrived the 2020 pandemic which shutdown all of production and made it difficult to put out any new movies. There was no playing around with long scripts by a host as the night started off directly with current nominees and past winners who presented the awards to the newest Oscar winners.
Emerald Fannell took the first award of the night for best original Screenplay for “Promising Young Woman” and Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller took best adapted screenplay for “The Father”.
Denmark took the International Feature Film as director Thomas Vinterburg accepted the award for “Another Round”.
Daniel Kaluuya took best actor in a supporting role for his work on Judas and the Black Messiah.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” took two Oscars for Best makeup and hair and best costume design.
From the Dolby theater in Hollywood, Brian Cranston stood solo in the empty auditorium as he presented the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award to the 70 members of the Motion Picture Television Fund as they worked tirelessly this last year to give help and hope to all those affected by the shutdown. Bob Beitcher humbly accepted on behalf of all the fully vaccinated members as this is the first ever time the award has gone to an organization rather than individual.
Chloe Zhoe took best director for her film debut, “Nomadland”.
The film, “Sound of Metal” took the Oscar for best sound, “Two Distant Strangers” took the Oscar for best live action short film and, “If anything happens, I love you” was the winner of best animated short film.
The Disney film, “Soul” took best animated film, “Colette” won for documentary, short subject and “My Octopus Teacher” won for best documentary, feature.
Tenet took home the Oscar for best visual effects and Yuh-Jung Yun for best supporting actress in the film Minari.
The film, Mank took Oscars for both Production Design and Cinematography.
“Sound of Metal” won best film editing.
The second Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to Tyler Perry for his work with the Perry Foundation which created the quarantine camp in an effort to help film makers continue to work during the pandemic.
The animated film, “Soul” took best score, while the song, “Fight for you” from Judas and the Black Messiah took best original song.
Angela Bassett did the very special “In Memorium” in honor of all those who passed away last year especially to those who were lost to Covid-19 along with the over 3 million who passed away in 2020 alone.
One of the last and most coveted awards of the night, best picture went to Fox Spotlight’s, “Nomadland”.
Finally, Frances McDormand won best actress in a leading role for “Nomadland”, and Anthony Hopkins took best actor in a leading role for “The Father”. Congrats to all the winners of this year’s challenging Academy Awards, which were decided by secret ballot by members of the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences