Los Angeles, March 13 (IANS) ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ was named best picture at the 95th Academy Awards, capping off an improbable awards season run by winning the movie business’s highest honour.
The film, an adventure about a Chinese-American laundromat owner grappling with an IRS audit and inter-dimensional attackers, earned seven statues, including original screenplay and directing honours for its creators Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as the Daniels), reports ‘Variety’.
The victory is a big one for A24, the indie studio that pushed the zany film to an impressive $100 million at the box office, a stunning achievement at a time when the market for arthouse movies has shrivelled.
The studio also managed the rare feat of nabbing all four acting honours — three of which were won by ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and one by ‘The Whale’.
It was a night of comebacks and reassessments. Michelle Yeoh of ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ became only the second woman of colour to be recognized as best actress. The honour came after a long career in martial arts and action movies like ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ and ‘Yes, Madam’.
“Ladies, don’t ever let anyone tell you that you are past your prime,” Yeoh said. “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibility.”
Meanwhile, Brendan Fraser took best actor honors for his performance as a morbidly obese man trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter in ‘The Whale’.
Fraser, once an A-list star known for his work in popcorn flicks such as ‘George of the Jungle’ and ‘The Mummy’, had spent the last decade changing away from the spotlight dealing with health and personal struggles. His win continues his remarkable resurgence.
“I started in this business 30 years ago, and this – they certainly didn’t come easily to me, but there was a facility that I didn’t appreciate at the time until it stopped,” Fraser said, acknowledging his career setbacks. He thanked his director Darren Aronofsky for “throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard”.
Here are the winners:
Best Picture – ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Lead Actress – Michelle Yeoh for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Lead ActorA – Brendan Fraser for ‘The Whale’
Best Director – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Film Editing – ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Original Song – ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’
Best Sound – ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Best Adapted Screenplay – ‘Women Talking’
Best Original Screenplay – ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Visual Effects – ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
Best Original Score – ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’
Best Production Design – ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’
Best Animated Short Film – ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’
Best Documentary Short Film – ‘The Elephant Whisperers’
Best International Feature Film – ‘All Quiet on the Western Fronta
Best Costume Design – ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
Best Makeup and Hairstyling – ‘The Whale’
Best Cinematography – ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’
Best Live Action Short – ‘An Irish Goodbye’
Best Documentary Feature Film – ‘Navalny’
Best Supporting Actress – Jamie Lee Curtis for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Supporting Actor – Ke Huy Quan for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
Best Animated Feature Film – ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’
