And the Oscars Go To...

Written by SARAH XU

Illustrated by ALEX ROEDER

FROM BEYONCE’S breathtaking and vibrant performance of “Be Alive” from the sports drama King Richard, to the moving display of support to “CODA” through collective sign language applause, this year’s Academy Awards ceremony was certainly one to remember. After years of COVID-19 restrictions, it was refreshing and encouraging to be able to come together again to celebrate cinematic masterpieces— even as a viewer tuning in from home.

Despite the heart-warming sensation of community, the night felt largely overshadowed by the jaw-dropping, theater-echoing slap delivered by Best Actor awardee Will Smith. Despite this incident, this year’s Oscars also held some notable milestones that warrant remembrance— so let’s break down and amplify these successes:

Troy Kotsur became the first deaf actor and second deaf performer to win an Academy Award for his role in CODA.

Actress Jessica Chastain took home her first Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, after years of nominations.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s film, Drive My Car, won the Best International Film award, becoming the second Japanese recipient in history. Drive My Car also made history with its Best Picture nomination, being the first Japanese film to be nominated in this category.

Filmmaker Jane Campion became the third female to win Best Director for her work on The Power of the Dog. Campion also made Oscars history by becoming the second female filmmaker nominated for Best Director twice.

Moody RTF alumnus, Mac Ruth, received an Oscar for Best Sound for Dune.

Ariana DeBose was awarded best Supporting Actress category for her role as Anita in West Side Story, becoming the first Afro-Latinx winner in Academy Awards history.

In addition to the roasts and jokes delivered by hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes and the many emotional acceptance speeches, this year’s Oscars also contained heavy commentary about our sociopolitical climate and recent legislation. Criticizing Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, our hosts threw a few shots at the toxic masculinity and cruelty that have pushed communities backwards in terms of social justice, equality, and the safety of kids and women. Chastain also used her time to shed light on the dangers of recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in conjunction with our country’s suicide epidemic.

Taken all together, one thing is indisputable. The 2022 Oscars will be one for the books. To be able to have these moments of joy, appreciation, shock, and commemoration is a privilege that will never be taken for granted again. I, for one, cannot wait to see what next year has in store because if we have learned anything from the pandemic and what’s come of it, it’s that PPE and 14-day quarantines will not deter talent and the passion for creating, and without these past restrictions, there is only more room for transformative, powerful filmmaking.