Once revered as accolades for thespian talent and technical abilities within the film-making community, the Oscars have of late been carrying heavy political messages.
Once revered as accolades for thespian talent and technical abilities within the film-making community, the Oscars have of late been carrying heavy political messages. The 88th awards may have gone even further than its predecessors in putting out very heavy messages. While most awards were as predicted, a long-pending public issue seemed to capture the mood as the best picture Oscar went to the Church child abuse drama Spotlight, with director Michael Sugar going so far as to drag Pope Francis into the raging debate on institutional silence over paedophiles in the Church.
The tone for a contentious evening was set by comedian Chris Rock firing rockets at the “#OscarsSoWhite” controversy fuelled by the absence this year of any nominees of colour in the acting categories. The comi-tragic message from the actor, who even said “we’re black” when the show returned from a break, was such a mixture that it may have left everyone befuddled about what exactly was the message. Rock’s stand against boycotters achieving nothing in a world that will go on, however, would have resonated around the globe, particularly in India where returning awards was for a while the flavour of the season.
The winner of the best actor award, Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant, may have failed five times, but his speech at his maiden success was a meaningful one on the need for action on climate change. He had highlighted the need to act against the politics of greed at Davos too and his exit line at the Dolby Theatre was dramatic: “Let us not taken this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted.”
