90th Oscars: Shape of Water leads at politically painted show
"The Shape of Water" emerged as the big winner with four honours at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony, including Best Picture -- where celebration of cinema was laced with political jibes as well as powerful statements on debates like sexual harassment, immigration and gender balance that are plaguing Hollywood.
Gary Oldman won Best Actor award for his role as Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour" and actress Frances McDormand nabbed her second best actress Oscar for "Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri", two decades after winning an award for "Fargo".
There were jibes at US president Donald Trump and disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, while some celebrities pledged support to immigrants and pitched for gender balance in the industry. India had missed the Oscar race in the foreign film category this year with "Newton" being ousted in initial stages of the shortlist. Also, Indian actor Ali Fazal-starrer "Victoria & Abdul" and Anupam Kher-starrer "The Big Sick" lost on their chance to win an Oscar. Celebrated Indian screen legends Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi were remembered during the "In Memoriam" montage along with late Hollywood icons like John Heard, Tony Anne Walker, Jane Foray, Robert Osborne, Martin Landau, Glenne Headly, Roger Moore, George A. Romero and Jerry Lewis. Popular TV host Jimmy Kimmel opened the night at Dolby Theatre here on Sunday by revisiting the past.
He took a swipe at last year's Best Picture winner fiasco wherein "La La Land" was accidentally awarded instead of "Moonlight" due to an envelope mix-up, saying: "This year, when you hear your name called, don't get up right away". The 'envelope-gate' was quite a scene-stealer at the event, aired in India on Star Movies and Star Movies HD. Amid the sexual misconduct allegations that have emerged in Hollywood and across the world since complaints against disgraced producer Weinstein came to the fore, Kimmel poked fun at the Oscar statuette.