Although Hugo and The Artist will take the plaudits, for me the true winners were Asghar Farhadi, winner of the best foreign language film with A Separation, whop became the first Iranian director to be honoured by the Academy. The best supporting actress gong went to Octavia Spencer for her role in The Help, she was surely the best speech of the night too, looking like an excited kid at Christmas proclaiming “I’m freaking out!” when accepting her Oscar figurine. Woody Allen won the best original screenplay award for the third time for one of my favourites, Midnight in Paris, but as is his way did not turn up to accept it – just too cool.
As the night was drawing to a close it became all about the big awards – best director, best actor, best actress and the finale of best picture. The result was sadly, as predictable as the tears that followed. Michel Hazavanicius took away best director for The Artist, Jean Dujardin won best actor again, for The Artist and Meryl Streep won best actress for The Iron Lady, a carbon copy of the results at the Baftas only a few weeks ago. So as Tom Cruise stepped up to present the best picture there were just two films that could have won it, Hugo or The Artist, and it was the latter that won and tied the two-horse race to five all.
The fashion highlight of the evening for all you that care more about that, was Angelina Jolie, who else, who’s slashed-to-the-hip Versace dress brought glamour mixed with the essence of a dirty wench to the Academy Awards, something that only Jolie can do. Brad Pitt may have missed out on an Oscar again, but he gets to go home with her, so he is a winner after all.
The Results In Full
Best cinematography – Robert Richardson, Hugo
Best art direction – Hugo
Best costume design -The Artist
Best make up – The Iron Lady
Best foreign language film – A Separation
Best actress in a supporting role – Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best film editing – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best sound editing – Hugo
Best sound mixing – Hugo
Best documentary feature – Undefeated
Best animated film – Rango
Best visual effects – Hugo
Best actor in a supporting role – Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best original score – Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Best song – Man or Muppet, The Muppets
Best adapted screenplay – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash, The Descendants
Best original screenplay – Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Best live action short – The Shore
Best documentary short – Saving Face
Best animated short – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore
Best director – Michel Hazavanicius, The Artist
Best actor in a leading role – Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best actress in a leading role – Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best picture – The Artist
