Parasite: the first foreign language film to win Best Picture Oscar
BY ALI NAQVI –
1917 could be the first ever film whose title is a number to win the best picture Oscar. If not, Joker could make history to become the first comic book based movie to strike the Oscar gold. How many of us thought that history would be created by the most unlikely film, Parasite. I was not convinced of the merit of the film, winning four Academy Awards, until recently when I watched it.
Watching a foreign language film is never an easy task. It is laborsome to say the least. You have to keep an eye on the action on screen while focusing on the fast appearing subtitles at the bottom. A slight shift in focus from the text to the main action can spoil the movie and you have to go back and watch it again where you lost it. This is one of the reasons why films made in languages other than English usually do not become a part of the popular cinema culture.
Parasite has not just created history, it has changed the perception. Academy Awards though considered the most prestigious film award on the face of the earth because of its 92 years of history yet it was never short of critics. We have seen many snubs throughout its long and glorious history and countless undeserving flicks to win big at this platform. A South Korean movie taking the limelight at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood has truly made Oscars the biggest Award of the world.
Apart from the battle in the Best Picture category, all eyes were set on Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. We all knew the result, just as we did when Heather Ledger was nominated for the same role, but still it was not less eagerly awaited to see Joaquin Phoenix grab his first Oscar.
Academy Awards 2020 is unique for a number of reasons. The records that are meant to be broken did broke and the expected did actually materialize. The fun filled ceremony among cheers, jubilations and awe has created new stars while expanding the horizon for the already bright and luminous ones.
Full list of winners:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Parasite
Gisaengchung (original title)
Sin-ae Kwak, Bong Joon Ho
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Joker
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Renée Zellweger
Judy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Brad Pitt
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Laura Dern
Marriage Story
Best Achievement in Directing
Bong Joon Ho
Parasite
Gisaengchung (original title)
Best Original Screenplay
Parasite
Gisaengchung (original title)
Bong Joon Ho, Jin Won Han
Best Adapted Screenplay
Jojo Rabbit
Taika Waititi
Best Achievement in Cinematography
1917
Roger Deakins
Best Achievement in Film Editing
Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker
Le Mans ’66
Ford v Ferrari (original title)
Best Achievement in Production Design
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Little Women
Jacqueline Durran
Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
Bombshell
Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, Vivian Baker
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Joker
Hildur Guðnadóttir
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
Rocketman
Elton John, Bernie Taupin
For song “I’m Gonna Love Me Again”
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
1917
Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Le Mans ’66
Ford v Ferrari (original title)
Donald Sylvester
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
1917
Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, Dominic Tuohy
Best Documentary Feature
American Factory
Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, Jeff Reichert
Best Documentary Short Subject
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
Carol Dysinger, Elena Andreicheva
Best Animated Feature Film
Toy Story 4
Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen, Jonas Rivera
Best Animated Short Film
Hair Love
Matthew A. Cherry, Karen Rupert Toliver
Best Live Action Short Film
The Neighbors’ Window
Marshall Curry
Best International Feature Film
Parasite
Gisaengchung (original title)
South Korea
