The Oscars are known globally as Hollywood’s biggest and most prestigious night in the world, hosting some of the largest and most glamorous events on the global stage. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ annual honors ceremony is the longest running awards show in the world and takes place in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony has been running since 1929, and award winners and their co-nominees are remembered, discussed and celebrated for years after the event.
What are the Oscars?
Awarded every year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Oscars (also known as the “Academy Awards”) honor outstanding film achievements from the previous year in 24 different categories, divided into eight different sets. These include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Song and Best Visual Effects. The Oscar nominees and winners are determined by designated members from the Academy. Each year, the awards bring immense fame and pride to the film industry, with members of the public taking an interest in the event.
Recent Oscar News
With the 92nd Academy Awards set to take place in February 2020, many have eyes have started to look towards the event and its preparations. Here’s what some of the recent Oscar news has been focusing on:
- Hosting: When it was first announced that the 92nd Academy Awards would not have a host, some were shocked, but later they warmed up to the idea. Rumours of “a group” of hosts, including some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, started to buzz around, leaving people excited.
*Nominees: So far there have been some extremely impressive performances and some potential surprises in the shortlist of nominees. The core of the most exciting Oscars races involves four contenders whose starry casts and crafty storytelling have made them the favorites.
*Broadcasting: The show will have a new home this year; ABC. This puts it in the same network which has been showcasing the ceremony for the last 40 years. This will be the first time the Oscars have aired on ABC after the Academy’s deal with the network was bitterly negotiated in late 2018.
The History of the Oscars
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held the first-ever Oscar ceremony on May 16 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The first Oscars were dominated by “Wings,” a landmark World War I film about a squadron of aviators. The movie swept up the Best Picture, Best Production Design and Best Engineering Effects awards. At the time, the Academy presented honor awards to winners in 12 categories.
By 1934, the award categories had expanded to include Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Original Score, the same categories which are still used today. As of 2020, the Oscars have honored 129 Best Pictures, 379 Best Directors, 458 Best Actors and 565 Best Actresses.
The evolution of the Oscars over time
Since its launch, the Academy Awards has seen changes in both host practices and award categories. One of the most notable changes occurred in 1944 when the Academy introduced new categories for Best Original Music Score and Best Special Effects. This modernized the awards ceremony and allowed the Academy to reward outstanding creativity in the design of music and visual effects.
In 2000, focus was given to the editing and sound branches of the Academy. This entailed the introduction of awards for Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing, issued to those who work hard behind the scenes to create the perfect movie experience.
The Academy has also endeavored to diversify its awards categories, introducing the Best Animated Feature Film award in 2001. This accolade has since been awarded to some of the most praised and beloved animated films, such as Coco and Up.
The latest additions to the Academy Awards are the Best Documentary Feature and Best Animated Short Film categories. The former was created in 2010 to celebrate outstanding documentary feature films, such as Free Solo and The Cove. The latter has become a much desired award for animators and directors, with animated shorts becoming increasingly popular.
The impact of the Academy Awards
The annual Academy Awards ceremony is one of the most prestigious and glamorous events of the year. It is viewed by millions both in the US and worldwide, with an audience of over 39 million tuning in in 2020. This astronomical figure has been consistent over the last decade, making it one of the most watched and discussed events of the year.
The Oscars bring more than just fans and politics. It has a great potential to shape the future of the film industry. Estates, cinemas, reviews and writers all pay close attention to the broadcast, looking for signs of which trends the industry is adapting and endorsing.
The Oscars also bring recognition to those in the film industry who, without the show, may have gone unnoticed. Their ability to showcase and reward the best talents from all corners of the world provide an immense sense of visibility and pride to those who are given awards. This visibility has helped break down long-standing social and political boundaries. At the 91st Academy Awards, for example, South Korea’s “Parasite” became the first international film to win Best Picture – a sign of the industry’s embrace of globalized expression.
The best Oscar nominated films of the 2020 ceremony
The 2020 Oscars presented some incredible films from all sides of the spectrum, and these nominations demonstrate the sheer diversity and strength of the industry. Here are some of the most critically acclaimed films:
- 1917 (Best Picture)
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture)
- Joker (Best Actor, Best Soundtrack and Best Cinematography)
- Little Women (Best Picture and Best Actress)
- The Irishman (Best Supporting Actor, Best Visual Effects and Best Adapted Screenplay)
- Parasite (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Foreign Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Film Editing)
The Oscars is undoubtedly one of the most enthralling and well-known events of the year. It presents an important platform to honour the most talented people in Hollywood and showcase some of cinema’s best films of the year. The event has transformed since its launch in 1929, embracing new talent and expanding award categories to reflect the times. As yet another Oscar ceremony approaches, the Academy and movie-fans alike will be looking forward to the event with excitement.
